Ion Channel Expression for Cell-Based Assays
Do you need to express functional ion channels but you're struggling with a toxic or intractable target? You can use transiently transfected Assay Ready Cells to accelerate screening and drug discovery programs without stable cell line development.
Electroporation is one of the best practices for transfecting cells with ion channel genes
MaxCyte’s ExPERT STx® with scalable Flow Electroporation® technology reproducibly transfects up to 2x1010 cells in less than 30 minutes, producing cells with high viability, transfection efficiency and membrane integrity.
Rapidly dial in expression levels and fine-tune assay sensitivity with small-scale electroporation, then scale seamlessly to transfect up to 2x1010 cells with no additional optimization.
Transiently transfected cells can be used immediately or cryopreserved as Assay Ready Cells for future use.
Benefits of electroporation for ion channel expression
- Produce quality results in applications including automated electrophysiology and ion flux assays.
- Achieve consistent performance between freshly transfected and cryopreserved transiently transfected Assay Ready Cells.
- Eliminate the need for stable cell line development, enabling assays to be developed and conducted in a fraction of the time.
- Express functional multi-subunit ion channels—even toxic and intractable channels.
- Efficient electroporation in primary cells, stems cells or other difficult-to-transfect cell types enables the use of the most physiologically relevant system.
- Reduce day-to-day assay variability.
- The system is compatible with ion channel assays, including FLIPR®, IonWorks® Quattro™, PatchXpress® and QPatch.
- Scale electroporation to transfect from 75,000 cells in seconds up to 1x1010 cells in less than 30 minutes.
Proven results of transiently transfected Assay Ready Cells
The development of stable cell lines brings with it a series of challenges, such as a long timeline and high risk of cytotoxicity. Transiently transfected Assay Ready Cells are an efficient and effective alternative, even for automated patch clamp studies.
High Z’ factors for TRPV1 screening in Assay Ready Cells
In this case, cells were electroporated with an expression plasmid for human TRPV1 (2 μg/106 cells) then cryopreserved. Assay Ready Cells were tested immediately post thaw. Cells were incubated with a known agonist and antagonist, then responses were measured and Z’ factors determined.
Resources
A range of cell-based assays for precise development
Our ExPERT team will provide you with the equipment and support you need for your specific application in assay development, running the gamut from high-content screening to mammalian display.
