A significant bottleneck in ion channel research today is the need to use manual patch clamp recording to obtain high quality data. Research at the University of Wisconsin on safety assays for drug development, mechanisms of therapeutic drug action and the molecular basis for inherited and acquired arrhythmias would be significantly enhanced with the acquisition of new technology that dramatically increases experimental throughput. Whereas just a few data points can be reliably collected per day at the hands of a skilled manual patch technician, the Nanion Patchliner NPC-16 is an automated patch clamp device that allows the collection of up to 500 data points per day, largely unattended. Capabilities include gigaseal recordings with stable access resistance, temperature control to achieve physiologically-relevant conditions, perfusion of both intra- and extracellular compartments, compatibility with cultured cells, primary cells and bilayers containing purified proteins, and the option of using perforated patch to avoid dialysis of intracellular components. Many of these capabilities cannot be replicated using the manual patch (e.g., simultaneous application to extra- and intracellular compartments) or are extraordinarily difficult (patching at physiological temperatures). The users all have extensive experience with a wide range of electrophysiology approaches including patch clamp, as does the operating technician who will oversee daily operations. A management plan is developed allowing for online registration for equipment use and communication among primary users. It is expected the device will not only enhance the productivity toward grant aims of the five NIH-funded users, but will open opportunities for collaborations and for experiments not previously conceivable with traditional technologies.
