Studying the intrinsic ability to contact or relax in an isolated tissue bath gives researchers complete environmental control (temperature, physiological solution, etc.) and remove the normal homeostatic regulation and whole animal influences.
It allows for the addition of drugs (via the physiological solution) and observation of their effect on the tissue without the complications involved with in vivo experimentation, such as neuronal and hormonal effects from living animal. Obtained measurements are highly reproducible and easy to analyze.
In addition, the researcher can control perfusate composition and oxygenation, to create various conditions (anoxia, hypoxia, hypo/hypertensive), without normal homeostatic functions interfering.
Furthermore, the opportunity to have 4 baths allows for multiple sample testing in one experiment, increasing accuracy of the data (dose response curves).