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Updated: Jun 26, 2026
10:41
Capturing the Interaction Kinetics of an Ion Channel Protein with Small Molecules by the Bio-layer Interferometry Assay
Published on: March 7, 2018
QPatch: the missing link between HTS and ion channel drug discovery.
Chris Mathes1, Søren Friis, Michael Finley
1Sophion Bioscience, Inc., 675 US Highway One, North Brunswick, NJ 08902, USA. cma@sophion.com
Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening
|January 20, 2009
Summary
Automated patch clamp systems like QPatch significantly increase ion channel drug discovery throughput. This technology provides high-quality data faster than conventional methods, accelerating the development of new medicines.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Biophysics
- Drug Discovery
Background:
- Conventional patch clamp is limited by low throughput for ion channel drug discovery.
- Automated patch clamp technology offers higher throughput and high-quality data.
- QPatch system provides parallel recording from multiple cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the applicability of the QPatch automated patch clamp system.
- To demonstrate its utility in ion channel drug discovery.
- To highlight its role in overcoming throughput limitations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the QPatch automated patch clamp system for parallel cell recordings.
- Studied various ion channel types including voltage-gated calcium and ligand-gated TRP channels.
- Analyzed success rates for gigaseals, whole-cell configuration, and usable cells.
Main Results:
- QPatch demonstrated applicability across diverse ion channel types and expression systems.
- Success rates for key electrophysiological parameters ranged from 40-80%.
- Achieved approximately 10-fold increase in throughput compared to conventional patch clamp.
Conclusions:
- QPatch is a cutting-edge automated patch clamp technology.
- It combines high data quality, speed, and user-friendliness.
- QPatch plays a pivotal role in expediting ion channel drug discovery.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Patch Clamp
Many fundamental cell functions such as muscle contraction and nerve transmission rely on the electrical signals produced by the movement of positively and negatively charged ions across the cell membrane. One competent method to record current flowing across the whole cell or single ion channel is the patch-clamp technique.
In this method, a glass micropipette containing electrolyte solution is tightly sealed against a small portion of the cell membrane. As a result, a patch of the cell...
In this method, a glass micropipette containing electrolyte solution is tightly sealed against a small portion of the cell membrane. As a result, a patch of the cell...
01:19Ion Channels
The movement of ions like sodium, potassium, and calcium into and out of the cell is essential to maintain the electrochemical gradient in living cells. The ion channels—a class of membrane transport proteins—help maintain this ionic gradient for the smooth functioning of physiological activities such as maintaining cell size and volume, conducting nerve impulses, and gas and nutrient exchange.
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow specific...
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow specific...
01:17Pore Transport and Ion-Pair Transport
Pore transport and ion-pair formation are critical mechanisms for the absorption and distribution of drugs in the body.
Pore transport, also known as convective transport, is a process where small molecules like urea, water, and sugars rapidly cross cell membranes as though there were channels or pores in the membrane. Although direct microscopic evidence is limited but the concept of pores or channels is widely accepted based on physiological evidence. Despite the lack of direct microscopic...
Pore transport, also known as convective transport, is a process where small molecules like urea, water, and sugars rapidly cross cell membranes as though there were channels or pores in the membrane. Although direct microscopic evidence is limited but the concept of pores or channels is widely accepted based on physiological evidence. Despite the lack of direct microscopic...
01:19Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins with a channel for ions to pass through and a binding site for a ligand. The channel opens only when a ligand attaches to the binding site.
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that include the...
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that include the...
01:19Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins with a channel for ions to pass through and a binding site for a ligand. The channel opens only when a ligand attaches to the binding site.
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that include the...
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that include the...
01:24Non-gated Ion Channels
Ion channels are specialized proteins on the plasma membrane that allow charged ions to pass down their electrochemical gradient. Their main function is to maintain the membrane potential which is critical for cell viability. These channels are either gated or non-gated and can transport more than a thousand ions within milliseconds for the cellular event to occur.
Compared to the gated ion channels, the non-gated channels, also known as leakage or passive channels, have no gating mechanism.
Compared to the gated ion channels, the non-gated channels, also known as leakage or passive channels, have no gating mechanism.