Automated Patch Clamp
IonFlux Plates
Unique in-plate liquid handling, patching and recording
IonFlux uses a unique plate design that allows for all fluid activity to be conducted within the recording plate proper. Using flexible and user controlled pneumatic system, IonFlux provides high speed liquid exchange, continuous solution flow, and drug delivery without the use of an external liquid handler. The in-plate movement of solutions cancels typical ion channel assays problems such as stacking related drug cross contamination. The continuous flow system alleviates assays with slow acting or sticky compounds.
IonFlux plate design on the cover of Assay and Drug Development in 2012
DESIGN
IonFlux Plates are microfluidic devices used exclusively in the IonFlux System for automated patch clamp assays. They are integrated into SBS-standard well plate formats for convenience and compatibility with automated liquid handling instrumentation. Multiple plate formats are available which correspond to the IonFlux system configuration. Each well on the plate has a dedicated function as either a compound well, cell trapping well, cell inlet or cell outlet well.
Plates are divided into experimental patterns. Each pattern contains specified wells:
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Two Independent trapping wells: These wells would contain intracellular solutions
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Cell inlet well: This well would contain the prepared cells in extracellular solution
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Cell outlet well: Acts as a waste well for the pattern
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Eight independent compound wells: These wells would contain any combination of different compound solutions or dose response concentration gradient of the same compound. IonFlux software provides full control over these compound wells release and timing.
FORMATS
IonFlux plates come in two different standard designs, 96 well plates for use with all IonFlux system having 16 amplifiers and 384 well plates for use with all IonFlux systems with 64 amplifiers or more.

96 well plate - used exclusively with IonFlux Classic 16 & IonFlux Mercury 16

384 well plate - used exclusively with IonFlux Mercury HT and IonFlux Mercury Ultra
Recordings
IonFlux plates come in two different cell trapping and recording designs:
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Single Cells: Using whole cell patch clamp technique and achieving giga-ohm seal recordings, IonFlux single cell plates are perfect for specialized assays requiring complete voltage/current control of an independent cell, mimicking manual patch clamp conditions while providing automated systems flexibility.
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Ensemble cells: Just like single cell plates, ensemble plates also use whole cell patch clamp techniques but now with 20 cells in parallels setting a standard for consistency and throughput All IonFlux instruments can use either plate design with no hardware modifications.
Plate Types
IonFlux Plate 16 (Ensemble)
part # 910-0054
IonFlux plates designed for IonFlux 16, IonFlux Classic 16, IonFlux Mercury 16. Each recording well has 20 holes for ensemble recordings. Plates are standard SBS 96 wells. They are shipped on cold packs in boxes of 8.

IonFlux Plate 16 (Single Cell)
part # 910-0058
IonFlux plates designed for IonFlux 16, IonFlux Classic 16, IonFlux Mercury 16. Each recording well has a single hole for single cell recordings. Plates are standard SBS 96 wells. They are shipped on cold packs in boxes of 8.

IonFlux Plate HT (Ensemble)
part # 910-0055
IonFlux plates designed for IonFlux HT, IonFlux Mercury HT, IonFlux Mercury ULTRA. Each recording well has 20 holes for ensemble recordings. Plates are standard SBS 384 wells. They are shipped on cold packs in boxes of 8.

IonFlux Plate HT (Single Cell)
part # 910-0055
IonFlux plates designed for IonFlux HT, IonFlux Mercury HT, IonFlux Mercury ULTRA. Each recording well has single hole for single cell recordings. Plates are standard SBS 384 wells. They are shipped on cold packs in boxes of 8.

Contact Us
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Order your IonFlux Plates Online
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