New applications of automated electrophysiology: heat activation of TRPV1 and action potentials of cardiomyocytes

Automated patch clamp devices, with their increased throughput and high data quality, are finding their place in the market of automated electrophysiological measurements. Unique features coupled with ease of use and higher throughput, make some of these planar patch clamp devices ideal tools for ion channel screening and safety testing. E.g., the ability of temperature control and rapid application of heated solution is an advantage in compound discovery, targeting TRPV ion channels. Discrimination of antagonising the ligand‐activated vs. the heat‐activated response of TRP channels could be important in the discovery of novel compounds with reduced side‐effects. Data will be shown of TRPV1 currents activated by heated solution and block of these responses by ruthenium red. Another novel feature of the planar patch clamp device used is its ability to conduct parallel current‐clamp recordings. This in combination with the temperature control allows unique experiments of action potential recordings from stem‐cell derived cardiomyocytes, a system becoming increasingly important in drug safety testing. Current recordings from hERG, NaV, CaV and KV channels as well as action potential recordings and modulation of the latter by hERG active compounds, all done at 35¢ a C will be shown.