Patchliner automated ePhys patch-clamping system

Concepts

• cardiff
• imaging equipment
• ephys patch
• patchliner
• system
• characterisation of cell surface
• medical, dental and veterinary use

Location

Cardiff

Description

Patchliner automated ePhys patch-clamping system for characterisation of cell surface and intracellular ion channels

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• 33110000 - Imaging equipment for medical, dental and veterinary use

Indicators

• Award on basis of price and quality.

Legal Justification

The Patchliner is a fully automated planar patch-clamping system with unparalleled versatility, compared to rival automated systems, and ease-of-use compared to conventional patch-clamping, which requires several months specialist training. This ease-of-use is the key attribute, as high quality electrophysiology data can be generated after just one training session, making the equipment realistically multi-user and allowing PhD or undergraduate students to perform otherwise complex ion channel electrophysiological recordings. The equipment will allow basic research into ion channel function, such as ion permeability, voltage dependency, and the effects of ligands and modulators on these, and ion channel directed drug discovery, by researchers who are not expert electrophysiologists. Planar patch-clamping systems utilise borosilicate glass chips with a micron size aperture, embedded in a microfluidic chamber, to take the place of pipettes in a conventional patch-clamping set up. Negative pressure attracts cells to the aperture, where a reliable seal is formed automatically with the cell, allowing recording of ion flux. We will use this equipment for 1) ion channel targeted drug discovery, 2) characterisation of differentiated stem cell models (e.g. neurons, cardiomyocytes), 3) phenotypic characterisation of ion channels, 4) characterisation of pore-forming toxin ion permeability, 5) ion flux in plant cells and 6) the impact of biomaterials and artificial amino acids on ion channel function. Justification for Patchliner: The Patchliner is the only automated patch-clamping system capable of performing both medium throughput whole cell recordings, and recording from isolated organelles and giant unilamellar vesicles. This is vital for our research as we need to record from intracellular ion channels, as well as conduct medium throughput drug development programmes and characterise differented stem cell models. No other automated patch-clamping system can do this.

Other Information

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