Stable recordings of P2X2/3 pharmacology on Qube 384

The ATP-gated P2X₂ and P2X₃ receptors are cation-permeable
ligand-gated ion channels that open in response to extracellular adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) binding. They are widely expressed in the body, including the peripheral nervous system, making them an interesting target against pain^1–3.

When P2X₂ and P2X₃ receptors are expressed together, the functional receptors will be trimeric³ and function either as P2X_2/3 heteromers, P2X₂ homomers, or P2X₃ homomers. The ratio between P2X₂ and P2X₃ homomers and P2X_2/3 heteromers vary from cell to cell, so to limit the variation between sites, only multihole QChips with ten patch holes per site are used in the assays.

P2X₂ and P2X₃ receptors display fast and extensive desensitization, making assays vulnerable to rundown due to poor compound washout or insufficient recovery. Here we show an assay with high stability, high success rates, and low rundown.