Patch clamping systems

Taken together, the limited experiments conducted using neuronal cell cultures illustrate a distinct difference in the way that pyrethroids modify ion conductance and subsequent neurotransmitter release under resting and depolarized conditions. Continued efforts utilizing recent new tools like automated patch-clamp systems and MEAs to assess the effects of pyrethroids on the kinetics and voltage-dependent gating of ion channels in primary cultures or transfected cells is likely to provide new insight into the neurotoxicity of pyrethroids [79, 82]. 

Table 3 Comparison of automated patch clamp systems... 

Automated patch clamp systems have only become available for the past few years, and their impact on ion channel drug discovery is, therefore, just beginning. Whether we are at the verge of a new golden age for ion channel drug discovery remains to be determined, but what unfolds over the coming years should be of utmost interest for ion channel drug discovery. 

The single-cell imaging on microfluidic device helps to quantitatively monitor intracellular sodium ion (Na+) concentration, potassium channel permeability, and apoptosis or necrosis and thus provides an advantage over the patch clamp system [58], The inhibition of potassium channels is monitored by using the FluxOR thallium detection kit. FluxOR dye is cleaved by endogenous esterases to thallium-sensitive fluorescent indicator inside the cells, and... 

Golden AP, Li NZ, Chen Q et al (2011) IonFlux a microfluidic patch clamp system evaluated with human Ether-a-go-go related gene channel physiology and pharmacology. Assay Drug Dev Technol 9(6) 608-619... 

---