Sophion Bioscience A/s

Morten Bech

Palle Christophersen

Jonatan Kutchinsky

Rafael Taboryski

Lars Thomsen

John Robert Dodgson

Soren-Peter Olesen

Soren Peter Olesen

Bent E Nielsen

John Shaw

Pieter Telleman

Jorgen Due

Jørgen Due

Ole Hansen

Jon Wulff Petersen

Lars c/o Thomsen Bioscience Thomsen

Bent Erling Nielsen

J Rgen Due

The present invention provides a pump for generating an Electroosmotic Flow (EOF) in a solution in a canal, guide, pipe or equivalent. Electroosmotic flow is generated by application of an electric field through a solution in a canal defined by insulating walls. The phenomenon depends on ionisation of sites on the surface so that for electroneutrality there is an excess mobile charge in the solution. The electric field acts on the excess charge in the solution causing the fluid to flow. The quantity and distribution of excess charge in the solution depends on the solution and the surface materials and is related to a parameter, the zeta (z) potential characterising material/solution combinations.

Corbino disc electroosmotic flow pump

The present invention relates to a high through-put system for determining and/or monitoring electrophysiological properties of ion channels of ion channel-containing membranes, typically lipid membrane-containing structures such as cells. In particular, the invention provides a substrate which provides means for automatically positioning cells at measuring sites using electroosmotic flow in canals formed on or in the substrate. The electroosmotic flow is generated and controlled by electroosmotic flow pumps integrated on the substrate or positioned in relation thereto. Thereby, cells can be positioned in favorable measurement configuration at a plurality of sites for performing testing and measurements. Also, the invention relates to a main electric circuit for performing testing and measurements on a plurality of cells in parallel.

System for electrophysiological measurements

The present invention relates to a substrate and a method for obtaining an electrophysiological measuring configuration in which a cell forms a high resistive seal (giga-seal) around a measuring electrode making it suitable for determining and monitoring a current flow through the cell membrane. The substrate is typically part of an apparatus for studying electrical events in cell membranes, such as an apparatus for carrying out patch clamp techniques utilised to study ion transfer channels in biological membranes. The substrate has a plurality or an array of measuring sites with integrated measuring and reference electrodes formed by wafer processing technology. The electrodes are adapted to conduct a current between them by delivery of ions by one electrode and receipt of ions by the other electrode and are typically silver/silver halide electrodes. This allows for effective and fast measuring of cells in configurations where the there is a direct electrical connection between the measuring electrode and the cell interior, a whole-cell measuring configuration.

Substrate and a method for determining and/or monitoring electrophysiological properties of ion channels

The present invention relates to an automatic electrode position apparatus for connecting an electrode to a cell. The invention further provides methods for utilizing the apparatus of the invention. Apparatus and methods are described for studying electrical activities in cell membranes. These methods are especially useful in large scale screening programs in the pharmaceutical industry.

Automatic electrode positioning apparatus

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GI. Holte, Denmark

Morten Bech