Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2025
19:56
Introduction to Solid Supported Membrane Based Electrophysiology
Published on: May 11, 2013
15.2K
Solid-Supported Membrane (SSM)-Based Electrophysiology Assays Using Surface Electrogenic Event Reader Technology
Antje Pommereau1, Thomas Licher1, Felix Bärenz1
1Sanofi, Integrated Drug Discovery, Industriepark Hoechst, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Current Protocols
|March 13, 2023
Summary
This study details solid-supported membrane (SSM)-based electrophysiology (SURFE²R) assays for measuring solute carrier transporters (SLCs) and their modulators. Protocols cover sample preparation, parameter determination, and compound testing for drug discovery.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Molecular Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Electrogenic solute carrier transporter proteins (SLCs) play crucial roles in cellular transport and are key targets in drug discovery.
- Accurate and efficient methods are needed to measure SLC transporter activity and assess the effects of potential drug compounds.
- Solid-supported membrane (SSM)-based electrophysiology, specifically the SURFE²R platform, offers a high-throughput format suitable for tertiary assays.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide comprehensive protocols and troubleshooting guidance for conducting SSM-based electrophysiology (SURFE²R) assays.
- To detail methods for measuring the activity of electrogenic SLC transporter proteins.
- To outline procedures for assessing the impact of compounds on transporter function, including potency and kinetic parameters.
Main Methods:
- Detailed protocols for preparing cell-membrane fractions and proteoliposomes containing target SLC transporters.
- Established procedures for SURFE²R assays, including single concentration, dose-response, and kinetic measurements (EC50, IC50, kM, Vmax).
- Methods for optimizing and validating assays, including assessment of ion/pH/DMSO dependency, signal stability, and compound specificity.
Main Results:
- Demonstration of robust protocols for sample preparation (membrane fractions, proteoliposomes) for SSM-based electrophysiology.
- Successful application of SURFE²R assays for determining key functional parameters of SLC transporters, such as EC50, IC50, kM, and Vmax.
- Validation of the SURFE²R platform as an effective tool for compound testing in drug discovery campaigns.
Conclusions:
- The SURFE²R platform provides a versatile and efficient method for studying electrogenic SLC transporters using a standard 96-well format.
- The detailed protocols presented enable accurate measurement of transporter activity and compound modulation, facilitating drug discovery.
- This work establishes a foundation for the application of SSM-based electrophysiology in high-throughput screening and lead optimization.
Keywords:
SURFE²R assaydrug discoveryhigh-throughput screeningsolid-supported membrane (SSM)-based electrophysiologyMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:15Potentiometry: Membrane Electrodes
661
Membrane electrodes, also known as p-ion electrodes, use membranes that selectively interact with free analyte ions, generating a potential difference across the membrane. The resulting membrane potential, known as the asymmetry potential, is not zero even when analyte concentrations on both sides of the membrane are equal. The membrane's response is typically not selective to a single analyte but proportional to the concentration of all ions in the sample solution capable of interacting at...
661
01:18Patch Clamp
5.6K
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...
5.6K