Ionovation Compact
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Bilayer Production & Data Aquisition >>
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The bilayer technique
is a method to record electrical currents at a single channel level. The bilayer forms a gigaohm resistance between two saline-buffer filled chambers.  After incorporation of poreforming proteins (ion channels, solute channels, carriers and pumps) protein mediated currents or membranepotentials can be recorded at high resolution.

 

Methods for insertion of membrane proteins into the bilayer:

  • Fusion of membrane vesicles or patches from virtually any membrane preparation
  • Fusion of proteoliposomes; from single channels to channel populations without any background activities
  • Direct incorporation; bacterial toxins like alpha-hemolysin from staphylococcus aureus are simply added to one compartment
     

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© copyright by Ionovation GmbH, Osnabrück, 2004-2009

 

high content electrophysiology

In membrane biology, electrophysiology is one of the central investigation tools. In the past the standard technological approach has primarily consisted of the various alterations of patch clamping of membranes and cells. However, certain limitations with respect to flexibility, throughput, userfriendliness, and information content have become obvious over the years.

Now there is an alternative to conventional methods: The Ionovation Compact - a highly flexible bench top system based on the bilayer technique. Ionovation Compact opens up a new dimension; the study of membrane channels and transporters from both animal and plant cells and their organelles. No more limitation to suitable cell lines. The response of channel forming proteins to any effector can be investigated, making the Ionovation Compact a powerful tool in pharmacological research, drug discovery, and in academia.

The Ionovation Compact addresses the full range from single to multiple channels

  • Using membrane preparations:
    • Easy approach to whole-cell like investigations
    • Both sides of the channel(s) are easily accessible
  • Using purified proteins:
    • Unique channel population investigated at a time.
    • No background activities.
  • Even subcellular compartments / membrane fragments can be “bilayered”

Relevant applications include

  • Membrane transport processes
  • Searching for active drug substances
  • Drug safety
  • Signal transduction
  • Disease related membrane permeabilisation e.g. parkinson and alzheimer’s disease