Platform & Tech
Electrophysiological analysis of single excitable cells
Analysis technique
Single-channel or Whole-cell patch clamp recording
Available cell types
Cultured hippocampal or cortical neurons
Peripheral sensory neurons : acute isolated dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons
Peripheral sympathetic neurons : acute isolated superior cervical ganglion (SCG) or celiac ganglion neuron (CG) neurons
Various transfected cell lines: HEK293, HERG, Hella cell lines etc.
Various smooth muscle cells: vascular, intestinal and uterine smooth muscle cells Acute isolated cardiac myocytes
Available analyses
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Measurement and analysis of various voltage-gated ion channels e.g. Ca+, Na+, K+, Cl- ion channels etc. using voltage clamp mode
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Measurement and analysis of various ligand-gated ion channels e.g. TRP, ASIC channels etc. using voltage clamp mode
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Analysis of membrane excitability by measuring alteration of membrane potential and action potential firing using current clamp mode.
Examples
Evaluation of drug efficacy by measuring mEPSCs in cultured hippocampal neurons
Evaluation of drug efficacy by measuring ion current and membrane excitability using acute isolated rat DRG neurons
Evaluation of drug efficacy by measuring ion current and membrane excitability using acute isolated rat SCG neurons
Electrophysiological analysis of synaptic function of neurons
Analysis technique
Whole-cell patch clamp recording
Available disease models
Brain slice
Somatosensory thalamocortical circuit (thalamus - barrel cortex)
Cognition / Memory circuit (hippocampus; Schaffer collateral – CA1)
Cognition / Learning and memory circuit (hippocampus; dentate gyrus – CA3)
Motivation / Voluntary movement circuit
(Huntington’s disease; prefrontal cortex– striatum)
Reward circuit (mPFC - nucleus accumbens)
Spinal cord slice
Pain excitatory circuit (primary afferent - substantia gelatinosa)
Pain inhibitory circuit (GABA_A current)
Available analyses
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Analysis of evoked EPSP (excitatory post-synaptic potential) and IPSP (inhibitory post-synaptic potential) at specific neuronal circuits
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Measurement and analysis of miniature EPSP at specific types of neurons
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Analysis of synaptic plasticity by measuring LTP (long-term potentiation), LTD (long-term depression), Input-output curve and Paired pulse ratio etc
Examples
Evaluation of drug efficacy on synaptic function by measuring EPSCs at Schaffer collateral - CA1 circuit from acute hippocampal slices in Alzheimer’s disease animal model
Evaluation of drug efficacy on synaptic function by measuring minimally-stimulated EPSC and mEPSCs at primary afferent – substantial gelatinosa circuit from spinal cord slices in chronic pain model
Behavioral tests for the assessment of cognitive function
Analysis technique
Behavior
Available disease models
Degenerative brain diseases (Alzheimer) : Confirming the effect of improving drug cognitive function through behavioral experiments
Decision making systema behavioral experiment platform
- Evaluation of drug efficacy using Head fixation & O-maze test in Alzheimer disease model
Degenerative brain diseases (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD)
- Evaluation of drug efficacy using learned helplessness test in foot shock PTSD model
Available analyses
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Learning and Memory: fear conditioning, Morris water maze, object recognition, active avoidance, passive avoidance etc.
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Locomotor activity and Exploration: open-field test etc.
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Anxiety and Depression: elevated-plus maze, tail suspension, forced swimming, learned helplessness, open-field test etc.
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Sensory motor and Coordination: rotarod test etc.
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Video tracking
Physiological analysis of heart function
Analysis technique
Langendorff heart (isolated perfused heart assay)
Intracellular recording with cultured heart cell
Single cell patch clamp recording with cultured heart cell
Available cells or tissues
Acutely isolated cardiomyocytes of rabbit, rat or mouse
(cultured heart cells or whole heart)
Available analyses
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Analysis of LVDP (left ventricular developed pressure), heart rate, systolic aortic pressure, aortic overflow volume, coronary flow volume, cardiac output and ECG (electrocardiography) etc.
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Analysis of ion channel activity or membrane excitability by whole-cell voltage and current clamp technique using acutely isolated cardiomyocyte cells
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Measurement and analysis of various voltage-gated ion channels e.g. Ca+, Na+, K+, Cl- ion channels etc.
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Analysis of membrane excitability by measuring alteration of membrane potential and action potential firing using current clamp mode (e.g. action potential duration: APD90) etc.
Examples
Evaluation of drug efficacy using Langendorff system in atrial fibrillation animal model
Evaluation of drug efficacy by analyzing K+ or Ca+ current in cultured heart cell (patch clamp)
Evaluation of drug efficacy by measuring APD90 in atrium tissue of human atrial fibrillation patient (patch clamp)
