Patent ID: 6770484
Filing Date: 2004-08-03
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of measuring ion flux through a cell membrane sodium ion channel, comprising:(a) washing cells expressing said ion channel in a first isotonic solution that does not contain any ions capable of passing through said ion channel, so as to deplete said cells of ions capable of passing through said ion channel; (b) removing said first isotonic solution from said cells; (c) incubating said cells in a second isotonic solution containing lithium ions; (d) washing said cells in said first isotonic solution, so as to create a liquid mixture containing said cells and having an extracellular concentration of said lithium ions that is approximately zero; (e) lysing said cells so as to create a homogenous liquid mixture; and (f) measuring a concentration of said lithium ions in said homogenous liquid mixture using one of: Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy.