The Department of Chemistry at the University of Michigan, has procured the IonFlux 16 automated patch clamp unit from Fluxion Biosciences.
The system will allow for detailed survey of nanoparticle membrane disruption. This is a new application for the tool, which is normally used to characterize ion channel modulators.
Mark Banaszak Holl, professor of chemistry and associate vice president of research at University of Michigan, says this method of measuring of membrane conductance will help scientists realize the communication between artificial nanoparticles and cells. A report on this study has been published recently in the Journal of Physical Chemistry. The IonFlux 16 will deliver high testing throughput. It is user friendly, and being cost- effective, is suitable for research work.
Its scalability allows for a range of patch clamp testing such as analysis of changes in ion channel movement and membrane conductance. The system makes for an automated process and being time -efficient, makes it cost- effective as well. The system will be ideal for a variety of applications that call for lipid membranes, that need large scale testing that is not possible on a manual system.
The system uses Well Plate Microfluidic for automation of the patch clamp process. It performs 16 voltage-clamp recordings simultaneously and delivers fast perfusion up to 8 compounds per cell for 128 data points per 96-well plate. Ensemble recording allows for stable functioning for the systematic examination of alterations in cell membrane conductance mediated by ion channel modulators and compounds disturbing plasma membranes.
Source; http://www.fluxionbio.com/