Patent ID: 7087394

Claim:
A method of identifying an agent that induces glucose-stimulated insulin production in an animal, the method comprising the steps of: (i) contacting an agent to a functional cation channel polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NO:2, and wherein the polypeptide is expressed in a cell and the contacting step comprises contacting the agent to the cell; (ii) selecting an agent that induces a differential change in electrical potential of the plasma membrane of the cell compared to the change in electrical potential of the plasma membrane of a cell contacted to the agent when: the activity of the functional cation channel polypeptide is inhibited; or the functional cation channel polypeptide is not expressed, thereby indicating that the differential change is a result of contacting the agent to the polypeptide, and (iii) determining if the agent selected in step (ii) enhances glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, thereby identifying an agent that induces glucose-stimulated insulin production in an animal.