KV 7.4 channel assay for QPatch: Biophysics and Pharmacology

The five members of the K_V 7 voltage-gated potassium channel family (from K_V 7.1 to K_V 7.5) have distinct expression patterns and functional roles: K_V 7.1 is primarily expressed in the heart, whereas K_V7. are expressed in neural tissue1, 2. K_V7 ion channels are involved in regulating excitability, action potential duration and transport processes in neurons and a variety of cell types1, 2. Indeed, KV 7.4 channels are specifically expressed in the inner ear2-5. Modulating K_V 7.4 channels can stabilize electric activity, and this modulation holds great potential in treating epilepsy. K_V 7.4 agonists have also been shown to protect hearing function and prevent age-related hearing loss6. Here, we employ KV 7.4 ion channels to demonstrate a robust and reproducible K_V7 assay suitable for biophysical characterization and fast and reliable compound testing using the Sophion QPatch automated patch clamp (APC) platform.