PRODUCT INFORMATION
In the intricate world of cellular biology, ion channels, and transporters are the unassuming gatekeepers that regulate the flow of ions and molecules in and out of cells. These essential proteins play a pivotal role in maintaining the delicate balance required for proper cell function, and their dysfunction is implicated in a wide array of diseases, from neurological disorders to cardiac abnormalities. Understanding the workings of ion channels and transporters has thus become a cornerstone of modern pharmaceutical research and drug development. To illuminate these cellular gateways, cutting-edge Ion Channel & Transporter Screening Technology has emerged as a powerful tool, enabling scientists to peer into the dynamic choreography of ion movements with unparalleled precision. In this exploration, we delve into the intricacies of this innovative technology, shedding light on its crucial role in unravelling the mysteries of cellular function and its promise in the quest for novel therapeutic solutions. Aurora Biomed’s Ion Channel Readers (ICRs) combine the versatility, precision, and sensitivity of atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) with the microsampling process and liquid handling technologies, creating a mid to high-throughput screening solution for ion channel researchers that fills gaps, which automated what patch-clamp cannot do.
Different Types of Ion Channels & Transporters
Aurora’s Ion Channel Readers, including the ICR 8100 and ICR 12000, serve as valuable instruments for supporting research and screening related to ion channels and transporters. These devices are employed whenever the measurement of ion movement offers significant insights into channel activity. Major pharmaceutical companies prefer the ICR technology due to its automated processes and high throughput capabilities. Similarly, academic institutions have found this technology to be cost-effective while still delivering reliable data output.
ICR 8100 Mid-Throughput Drug Screening Technology
The ICR 8100, a mid-throughput system for screening ion channels, offers an economical and highly sensitive solution that is conveniently compact for benchtop use while maintaining versatile functionality. This system can evaluate various ion channels, including voltage-gated and ligand-gated channels, ion pumps, and transporters, enabling researchers to expedite drug development for disease treatment and prevention. It provides a programmable and automated approach, accommodating up to 5,000 wells per day, thereby mitigating issues related to fluorescence quenching and eliminating the necessity to work with hazardous radioisotopes.
Advantages of AURORA’S ICR series:
- High sensitivity: 0.05mg/L (0.05ppm)
- Small sample amount: 100 µL ~5% CV ; 50 µL ≤10% CV
- Available for 96-/384-wells microplate
- High throughput: ICR 8000 produces data up to 5000 wells/day; ICR 12000 to 60000 wells/day
- Low cost
- More widely used: Ion Channels & Ion Transporters
ICR 12000 High-Throughput Drug Screening Technology
The ICR 12000 stands as a dedicated system designed for achieving ultra-high throughput in ion channel screening of compound libraries. This system integrates multi-channel sampling and advanced automation features for enhanced efficiency. Leveraging the versatility, precision, and sensitivity characteristic of Aurora Biomed’s atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) instruments, the ICR 12000 is adept at assessing both ligand-gated and voltage-gated ion channels through cell-based flux assays. Thanks to the robustness of Aurora Biomed’s ICR technology, this reader excels in delivering high sensitivity for both electrogenic and electroneutral channels and transporters. Its remarkable throughput of 60,000 samples per day empowers ion channel researchers to proactively evaluate compound QT liability during the early stages of the drug discovery process.
Ion Channel Readers (ICR) Applications:
Aurora’s ICR series detects the movements of ions across membrane proteins by quantifying intracellular and extracellular ion concentrations of interest using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). This is a technique that is independent of, and complementary to methods that rely on voltage manipulation. Since ion flux is a direct measure of channel and transporter activity, such assays are robust and less sensitive to disturbances. Data generated by the ICR Series are very consistent and predictive of drug potency.
Drug Discovery
Cardiac Safety
Cancer Biomarker
Ion Transporters
Stem Cell
Ion Channel & Transporter Research
Learn About Emerging Applications
Our scientists are currently collaborating with pharmaceutical and academic partners to develop new and effective ICR-based assays for use in transporters, natural products, and cancer biomarkers as well as drug discovery studies.
