Patching Transiently Transfected Ion Channels on an Automated Electrophysiology System

To broaden the applicability of automatic patch clamp systems, scientists from Molecular Devices tested assays with cells transiently transfected with ion channel genes. Two chimeric cationic channels, an α7 acetylcholine-glycine chimeric receptor (α7-GlyR) and an α7 acetylcholine-serotonin receptor (α7-5HTR), were transfected into HEK-293 parental cells. After cell harvesting, acetylcholine-induced currents were recorded from both α7-GlyR- and α7-5HTR-transfected cells.