Some of the many ways in which our electrophysiology and neuroscience expertise can add value include:
- Defining the phenotype of transgenic models at the cellular and network level
- Ensuring potency and efficacy measures from primary screens translate to the native target
- Revealing site of action of novel therapeutics within a neuronal network
- Providing functional and mechanistic data on the physiological processes which may be affected in CNS disorders, such as the mechanisms underlying learning and memory and sensory processing
Our assays are configured to test the effects on neuronal function of a wide range of target classes including:
- ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs, e.g: AMPA, NMDA, GABA, P2X receptors)
- voltage-gated ion channels (VGICs; e.g. Nav and Cav families)
- GPCRs (e.g. muscarinic, 5-HT, mGlu and GABAB receptors)
- transporters
(e.g. GlyT1).
Electrical signals measured by electrophysiology are produced by the activity of VGICs
and LGICs. This activity is modulated by many other targets, so although
electrophysiology is often described as the "gold standard" when applied to ion channels, the technology is very much applicable to targets such as GPCR and transporters.
