Qube 384-channel patch clamp characterization of the liquid flow channels

The Qube is the new gigaseal-based 384-channel planar patch clamp system developed by Sophion Bioscience A/S. The system is equipped with 384 individual amplifiers providing continuous recordings at a sampling rate up to 50 kHz from all wells simultaneously. The consumable for the Qube is built on Sophion’s tried and tested silicon technology for optimal giga-seal formation and has been designed to have an effi cient liquid fl ow system which is necessary for testing fast ligand-gated ion channels (LGIC) such as the nicotine acetylcholine receptors (nAChR). In this work we present recordings obtained using the Qube system from two LGICs: ASIC1a and nAChRα1.
The acid-sensitive channel (ASIC) belongs to the ENaC/DEG family. ASIC1a is expressed in the brain and in the peripheral nervous system where it is involved in modulating response to pain (1). The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 1 (nAChRα1) belongs to the Cys-loop family and is expressed both centrally and in the peripheral nervous system. In the periphery nAChRα1 modulate e.g. the synaptic transmission at the neuromuscular junction (2). Here we show activation of these LGICs by their respective ligand (H+ and acethylcholine (ACh), respectively) and pharmacological block by known reference compounds (amiloride and tetracaine, respectively). These data demonstrate: 1) the design of the Qube consumable allows fast liquid exchange for recordings of fast LGICs and 2) the design of the Qube consumable allows multiple liquid additions to the same recording unit.