Patent ID: 6932893
Filing Date: 2005-08-23
Classification: B01L,G01N

Abstract:
1. A system for determination and/or monitoring of electrophysiological properties of ion channels in ion channel-containing lipid membranes, the system comprising a substrate comprising a plurality of sites for holding ion channel-containing lipid membranes, a plurality of working electrodes, one working electrode positioned at each site, and one or more reference electrodes positioned so as for each site to be in electrical contact with at least one reference electrode, each site being adapted to hold an ion channel-containing lipid membrane so as for an electrical current I mem drawn between the working electrode of a site and a reference electrode will be transmitted by ion channels in the ion channel-containing lipid membrane, the system further comprising a main electric circuit for performing voltage clamp measurements on ion channel-containing lipid membranes held at the sites, said main electric circuit comprising a plurality of current to voltage (I-V) converters, wherein the I-V converters comprise an operational amplifier and a dual FET, and each having a first and a second input and an output, the first input being electrically connected to a working electrode and the second input receiving a reference potential V a first multiplexer having a plurality of inputs for receiving first voltage signals from two or more I-V converters and individually feeding the selected first voltage signals to a first A/D converter in a controlled manner, said first A/D converter to generate digital signals corresponding to the first voltage signals, digital processing means for receiving and processing the digital signals, the digital processing means being adapted to administer and generate a first type of digital signals related to stimulation or testing of the ion channel-containing lipid membranes, the digital processing means further being adapted to administer and generate a second type of digital signals controlling individually controllable components of the main circuit, means for receiving the digital signals of the first type and for generating an analogue stimulation or testing signal V means for providing V an enable network for receiving the digital signals of the second type from the digital processing means and for controlling: