Electroneutral Transporter Monitoring
Electroneutral transporter monitoring solution is the ONLY method for monitoring directly and in-situ electroneutral and transporter activity. The DHM® optical measurement provides quantitative measurement of the co-transporter activity.
Strictly non invasive
- No use of fluorescent probes
- No use of radioactive tracers
- Use of very low and unfocused light intensity
No need of sample preparation
- Measurement not affected by load and washout of tracers
Well defined experimental protocol enabling high specificity
Measurements with DHM® are performed in-situ, that is to say in native cells. There is no need of using any fluorescence, nanoparticle or radioactive tracers, or to add a complex and expensive set-up on top of your microscope. It applies to many experimental protocols and many type of cells.
Monitoring of NKCC1 and KCC2, two neuronal co-transporters involved in chloride homeostasis, has been demonstrated and published [Jourdain, 2011]. DHM is the first imaging technique offering the possibility to directly monitor the activities of the two neuronal co-transporters, NKCC1 and KCC2 in-situ.
The electroneutral transporter monitoring solution combines a transmission DHM®, and a software for acquisition and analysis. It can be completed with an optional motorized XYZ stage and with a fluorescence module enabling to compare DHM® measurements with fluorescence data. Output data are compatible with ImageJ for instance for more extensive and detailed analysis.
Use of DHM® for quantitative monitoring of Electroneutral Transporter enables to investigate new research paths. It provides novel research possibilities to be published in high impact factor scientific journals.
Innovative research possibilities
- Direct, in situ, quantitative and strictly non-invasive measurements of co-transporters activity
Efficient research
- No need of sample preparation, and of contrast agents
- No delicate use of radio-tracers
The Electroneutral Transporter Monitoring solution is a simple and direct system for monitoring co-transporters. Electroneutral transporters cannot be measured using electrophysiology. Fluorescence methods as well cannot be applied for such problematic. Use of radioactive tracers is the sole alternative method to DHM®.
DHM® vs. Radiotracers
Use of radioactive tracers requires complex experimental protocols with load and washout. Heavy radioactive protection measures are necessary.
Moreover, for instance in the co-transporter problematic, radio-tracers are linked to only one of the co-transports, for instance to KCC2 in the KCC2 and NKCC1 case.
One can note that. additionally, DHM enables monitoring of electrogenic transporter while radiotracers cannot.
| Feature | DHM® | Radiotracers |
| Measure of co-transporter activity | ||
| No sample preparation | ||
| Simple experimental protocol |
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| Electrogenic transporter activity |
Electro-neutral transporte activity of several channels of different type of cells has been investigated, and results have been assessed using pharmacology methods and patch clamp.
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Neuronal ionic co-transporters NKCC1 and KCC2
NKCC1 and KCC2 are two neuronal co-transporters involved in Cl– homeostasis and cell volume regulation. Dysfunction of these two co-transporters has consequences on neuronal excitability, leading, in extreme cases, to pathogenesis of seizures and chronic neuropathic pain. The fact that NKCC1 and KCC2 co-transporters have electro-neutrally positive and negative charges makes the study by electrophysiology impossible. Study is performed using DHM® on primary cultures of cortical neurons prepared from E17 OF1 mice embryos.
