Method for optical measuring variations of cell membrane conductance

摘要

The instant invention refers to an optical method to extrapolate cell membrane conductance by indirect measurement of changes in transmembrane voltage, upon exposure of a cell sample to electric field pulses. The method is advantageously used for evaluating the activity of molecules able to alter, directly or indirectly, membrane permeability. A specific field of application is the screening of candidate compounds putatively acting on ion channel activity. The method is also advantageously used for evaluating a cell status, namely a differentiative or a pathologic status.