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Updated: May 31, 2026

Functional Assessment of Intestinal Tight Junction Barrier and Ion Permeability in Native Tissue by Ussing Chamber Technique
Published on: May 26, 2021
Electrophysiological characterization of claudin ion permeability using stably transfected epithelial cell lines
1Division of Nephrology and Hypertension and the Kidney Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA. alanyu@usc.edu
Abstract:
Claudins are tight junction membrane proteins that act as paracellular pores and barriers and regulate epithelial permeability to small ions. A key step in understanding the function of any claudin isoform is the in vitro measurement of its ion permeability and selectivity. Herein, we describe methods to generate clonal lines with stable inducible overexpression of claudins in Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial cells, measure conductance and diffusion potentials in Ussing chambers, correct for liquid junction potentials, and derive quantitatively accurate values for individual ion permeabilities.
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