Expression and Analysis of Recombinant Ion Channels: From Structural Studies to Pharmacological Screening

Aimed at filling the gap created by recent technical development sin several key areas, this book is directed at both the new and the experienced researcher wishing to learn more about the considerations and methods for studying recombinant ion channels. Covering many of these new techniques for the first time, the book contains contributions from authors who routinely apply these approaches in key academic labs or major pharmaceutical companies.

Rather than describing detailed protocols, to which the reader is directed by key references in each chapter, the authors instead provide a comprehensive and easily accessible overview of the techniques involved, reviewing underlying principles and and providing working guidelines as well as an understanding of the key theoretical and practical considerations associated with each topic. In each case, this practical advice is illustrated by real life examples, taken either from the author′s own experience or from key examples in the literature, providing valuable practical hints not found elsewhere.

The results is a compendium of practical ion channel information that will prove a valuable resource to academic and industrial researchers alike.

Expression of Ion Channels in Xenopus Oocytes
Mutagenesis Approaches for Structure–Function Studies
Unnatural Amino Acids as Probes of Ion Channel Structure –
Function and Pharmacology
Functional Expression of Ion Channels in Mammalian Systems
Analysis of electrophysiological data
Automated planar array electrophysiology for ion channel research
Ion Flux and Ligand Binding Assays for Analysis of Ion Channels
Ion Channel Assays Based on Ion and Voltage–sensitive Fluorescent Probes
Approaches for Ion Channel Structural Studies
Molecular Modelling and Simulations of Ion Channels: Applications to Potassium Channels

Jeff Clare has worked in ion channel drug discovery for the last 13 years and is currently Head of Gene Expression for ion channels at GlaxoSmithKline. Having obtained his PhD from Kent University, he spent 5 years studying retrotransposable elements at UMIST and University of Connecticut. He then entered the pharmaceutical industry first joining Wellcome BioTech, to develop expression systems for vaccine antigen production, before transferring to Wellcome Research to initiate efforts in ion channel molecular cloning and expression. Subsequently, at GlaxoWellcome and then GlaxoSmithKline, he has been engaged in drug discovery and research projects for a range of ion channels, particularly voltage–gated sodium channels.

Derek Trezise has over fifteen years experience in the functional analysis of ion channels, in both academic and industrial environments. After completing his PhD on smooth muscle K+ channels at the Victoria University of Manchester, UK he spent 5 years as a postdoctoral researcher at the Glaxo Institute of Applied Pharmacology at Cambridge, studying P2X channels. He then moved to GlaxoSmithKline R&D, Stevenage where he has held positions of increasing responsibility in Neuroscience, Molecular Pharmacology and Assay Development and Compound Profiling departments. His current role is Head of Assay Development for ion channels and G–protein coupled receptors.