Electrophysiology configuration suitable for high throughput screening of compounds for drug discovery
First Claim
1. An apparatus for measuring cellular electrical conditions comprising a Cell Support Membrane component adapted to hold one or more cells which includes:
- i) a first layer comprising a non-conductive material comprising a top surface and bottom surface and including one or more pores, wherein the top surface of the material comprises one or more cell attachment sites which circumscribe the pores of the material and contact the cells, and wherein the pores of the material are capable of forming electrically tight seals with the contacted cells at the cell attachment sites, and ii) a second layer comprising a non-porous, nonconductive, sealant material which contacts the first layer of the Cell Support Membrane.
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Abstract
The present invention provides apparatuses for measuring cell membrane resistance, conductance, potential, and capacitance, which can be used to determine cellular electrical activity. More specifically, the present invention provides automated apparatuses that are designed for high-throughput analysis of various compounds, ligands, and cell processes that modulate cellular electrical properties (e.g., cell membrane conditions). Such automated apparatuses can be used for the precise determination of ion channel activity, and for the rapid identification of compounds, ligands, or processes that alter this activity. The present invention also provides methods for measuring cellular electrical properties utilizing the apparatuses provided herein.
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Citations
120 Claims
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1. An apparatus for measuring cellular electrical conditions comprising a Cell Support Membrane component adapted to hold one or more cells which includes:
- i) a first layer comprising a non-conductive material comprising a top surface and bottom surface and including one or more pores, wherein the top surface of the material comprises one or more cell attachment sites which circumscribe the pores of the material and contact the cells, and wherein the pores of the material are capable of forming electrically tight seals with the contacted cells at the cell attachment sites, and ii) a second layer comprising a non-porous, nonconductive, sealant material which contacts the first layer of the Cell Support Membrane.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120)
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32. An apparatus for measuring cellular electrical conditions comprising a Cell Support Membrane component adapted to hold one or more cells which comprises a non-conductive material that includes a top surface and bottom surface and includes one or more pores, wherein:
- i) the top surface of the material comprises one or more cell attachment sites which circumscribe the pores of the material and contact the cells;
ii) the pores of the material are capable of forming electrically tight seals with the contacted cells at the cell attachment sites, and iii) a pore that is not sealed with a cell is plugged by the addition of one composition to the top surface of the material, and another composition to the bottom surface of the material, such that the compositions interact in the pore and form a nonconductive solid product. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
- i) the top surface of the material comprises one or more cell attachment sites which circumscribe the pores of the material and contact the cells;
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53. An apparatus for measuring cellular electrical conditions comprising a Cell Support Membrane component adapted to hold cells which comprises a non-conductive material including a top surface and bottom surface and including one or more pores, wherein:
- i) the top surface of the material comprises one or more cell attachment sites which circumscribe the pores of the material and contact the cells;
ii) the pores of the material are capable of forming electrically tight seals with the contacted cells at the cell attachment sites, and iii) the cells are directed to the pores by an attractant. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97)
- i) the top surface of the material comprises one or more cell attachment sites which circumscribe the pores of the material and contact the cells;
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78. An apparatus for measuring cellular electrical conditions comprising a Microchip component adapted to hold cells which comprises non-conductive material including a top surface and bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the material includes cell attachment sites that are sized to contact individual cells and are coupled to an electrode lead/signal modifying circuitry.
Specification