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Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Standardized Measurement of Nasal Membrane Transepithelial Potential Difference (NPD)
Published on: September 13, 2018
Nasal potential difference measurements to assess CFTR ion channel activity
Steven M Rowe1, John Paul Clancy, Michael Wilschanski
1Department of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294-0006, USA. smrowe@uab.edu
Abstract:
The Nasal potential difference measurement is used to measure the voltage across the nasal epithelium, which results from transepithelial ion transport and reflects in part CFTR function. The electrophysiologic abnormality in cystic fibrosis was first described 30 years ago and correlates with features of the CF phenotype. NPD measurement is an important in vivo research and diagnostic tool, and is used to assess the efficacy of new treatments such as gene therapy and ion transport modulators. This chapter will elaborate on the electrophysiological principles behind the test, the equipment required, the methods, and the analysis of the data.

