Highlights 2024/25 03 Controlled Pneumatics 22 – 23 Real-life application Compact and highly precise: VTEP maintains the pressure around 2 mbar for hours without deviation. Automated Patch Clamping in Drug Development Controlled Pneumatics Almost a third of all diseases are caused by malfunctions in the ion channels of cells. Ion channels comprise a diverse and extensive category of membrane proteins that function as socalled transducers for electrical signals, and regulate the electrical properties of all living cells. For example, ion channels play a central role in the generation of action potentials in excitable cells, such as those found in the heart and brain. Automation for faster and more precise results With its patch clamp systems, Sophion is accelerating the development of drugs that can alleviate or eliminate channelopathies such as cystic fibrosis, epilepsy, or heart arrhythmia. The automated solution replaces the traditional, very time-consuming manual method of patch clamping. Patch clamping is used to directly measure the movement of ions through cell membranes via ion channels. The cell membrane is tightly sealed with a pipette or a small hole in he surface. By applying a slight vacuum, the inner contents of the cell and the solution come into direct contact so that electrodes can measure very small electrical currents passing over the cell membrane through the ion channels. This examination process can not only be significantly accelerated by automation, but the high precision of the processes also means that the results of the examination are much more stable. The new systems allow the simultaneous measurement of 8, 16, 48 or 384 cells, giving researchers more replicates, and more data for research, characterization, or even screening. VTEP is an integral part of the system Sophion and Festo have been working together successfully for many years. For its newly introduced semi-automatic 8-channel system, Festo was a project partner right from the start. The proportional valve terminal VTEP with its extremely fast communication protocols and high precision in the range of ±2 mbar precisely fulfilled the requirements of the developers for the new system. This is because maximum precision is fundamental to making the experiments work. If too little pressure is applied, the cell membrane will not break. If the pressure is too high, the cell collapses. Proportional valve terminals with piezo technology such as VTEP are therefore ideal for sensitive work on human cells. Compactness as an advantage Another advantage of the proportional valve terminal is its compactness, which is all down to the piezo valves used. The small and compact pressure regulators are perfectly suited for installation in Sophion's instruments. Depending on the configuration, automated patch clamp systems use 12 to 54 independent pressure channels that are controlled by up to six valve terminals. The systems are convincing: according to Sophion, 75% of the world’s 20 largest pharmaceutical companies and many universities use Sophion’s solutions for drug development. Pressure control valves from Festo have been an integral part of the automated patch clamp solutions from Danish company Sophion Bioscience for over 15 years. Thanks to the high precision of the new proportional valve terminal VTEP, the ion channels of human cells can be studied even more accurately. The resulting high degree of standardization of the tests enables faster development of drugs, and research into possible side effects. “Proportional valve terminals with piezo technology such as VTEP are ideal for sensitive work on human cells.” Jens Hennecke, Head of Hardware Development, Sophion
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