Patent ID: 7452675

Claim:
A method for screening for a candidate bioactive agent capable of modulating the monovalent cationic permeability of a recombinant TRPM4b channel, wherein said TRPM4b channel is capable of being activated with calcium in the nanomolar range and wherein said TRPM4b channel is permeable to monovalent cations selected from the group consisting of Na + ,K + and Cs + without significant calcium permeation, said method comprising the steps of: a) activating a recombinant TRPM4b channel; b) contacting said recombinant TRPM4b channel with a candidate bioactive agents, c) measuring the monovalent cationic permeability of said recombinant TRPM4b channel after said contacting with said candidate bioactive agent; d) comparing said monovalent cationic permeability of said recombinant TRPM4b channel after said contacting with said candidate bioactive agent with the cationic permeability of said recombinant TRPM4b channel in the absence of said candidate bioactive agent to determine whether said bioactive candidate agent modulates the monovalent cationic permeability of said recombinant TRPM4b channel.