Latest App Notes & Case Studies

This application note describes the use of the IonWorks HT Platform with a voltagedependent potassium channel Kv1.5.

Reporter-gene assays are used to study eukaryotic gene expression. Dual genetic reporters are commonly used in transient transfections of cultured cells to minimize experimental variability. Recently, Promega introduced a Dual-Glo Lucoferase assay system which replaced the outdated ‘flash’ assays used previously. Ensuring both genetic reporters have different substrate requirements enables them to be detected using a single reaction mixture.

Calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC) channels play an important role in intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. Like other store-operated calcium channels, currents through the CRAC channel (ICRAC) are activated by depletion of calcium in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and serve the purpose of slowly replenishing the ER with Ca2+.

Pgp expression has been linked to the effl ux of chemotherapeutic
drugs in human cancers leading to multidrug resistance. Pgp
activity can also result in low oral absorption and poor brain
penetration. Interaction of drugs with the Pgp may also cause
an increase in toxicity of co-administered compounds.

Two cell-based signaling assays from Invitrogen, Fluo-4 Direct™ Calcium Assay and Tango™-bla U2OS GPCR Assay, were performed on the PHERAstar FS HTS instrument. The PHERAstar FS has several unique features that enhance the performance of these assays including direct optic bottom reading, high resolution cell layer scanning, injection at the point of measurement and dual emission detection.