High-throughput screening technologies for ion channel drug discovery

Abstract

Ion channels are attractive targets for drug discovery as an increasing number of new ion channel targets have been uncovered in diseases, such as pain, cardiovascular disease, and neurological disorders. Despite their relevance in diseases and the variety of physiological functions they are involved in, ion channels still remain underexploited as drug targets. This, to a large extent, is attributed to the absence of screening technologies that ensure both the quality and the throughput of data. However, an increasing number of assays and technologies have evolved rapidly in the past decades. In this review, we summarized the currently available high-throughput screening technologies in ion channel drug discovery.