Pharmacological Modulation
Pharmacological Modulation - Related Videos
10:07
High-throughput Screening for Small-molecule Modulators of Inward Rectifier Potassium Channels
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Cited by 20 •
2013
Methods for developing and validating a quantitative fluorescence assay for measuring the activity of inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels for high-throughput compound screening is presented.
05:31
A Fluorescent Screening Assay for Identifying Modulators of GIRK Channels
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Cited by 7 •
2012
A real-time screening procedure for identifying drugs that interact with G protein-gated inward rectifier K+ (GIRK) channels is described. The assay utilizes membrane potential-sensitive fluorescent dyes to measure GIRK channel activity. This technique is adaptable for use on a number of cell lines.
06:52
Manufacturing and Using Piggy-back Multibarrel Electrodes for In vivo Pharmacological Manipulations of Neural Responses
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Cited by 8 •
2013
Iontophoresis of neural agonists and antagonists during extracellular in vivo recordings is a powerful way to manipulate a neuron’s microenvironment. These manipulations can most easily be done via piggy-back multibarrel electrodes. Here we describe how to manufacture them and use them during auditory recordings.
09:58
Pharmacological and Functional Genetic Assays to Manipulate Regeneration of the Planarian Dugesia japonica
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Cited by 17 •
2011
An attractive model for studying stem cell differentiation within a live animal is the planarian flatworm. Regeneration is studied by simple amputation experiments that are easily performed in a basic laboratory and are amenable to pharmacological and genetic (in vivo RNAi) manipulation as detailed by protocols in this article.
08:49
Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention
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Cited by 23 •
2013
Loss of the righting reflex has long served as a standard behavioral surrogate for unconsciousness, also called hypnosis, in laboratory animals. Alterations in volatile anesthetic sensitivity caused by pharmacological interventions can be detected with a carefully controlled high-throughput assessment system, which may be adapted for delivery of any inhaled therapeutic.
FAQs
Agonists increase activity at a molecular target, whereas antagonists reduce or prevent the target’s response. Allosteric regulators bind at sites that influence target behavior without acting through the primary binding site. Comparing these modes of action helps researchers determine whether a cellular response depends on activation, inhibition, or altered regulation of a receptor, enzyme, ion channel, or signaling pathway.
The target determines which level of biology is directly affected and how the response can be interpreted. Modulating receptors, enzymes, ion channels, or signaling pathways can produce different consequences for cellular activity and communication. Selecting among these targets allows researchers to connect a compound’s molecular interaction with changes in proteins, cells, tissues, or whole organisms.
Defined conditions are important because they provide a controlled context for linking a compound to a biological response. When researchers examine modulation under specified conditions, they can assess how altered signaling relates to gene or protein function, communication between cells, or tissue and organismal effects. This supports clearer comparisons between molecular action and observed outcomes.
A study can begin by selecting a biological target and a compound that acts on it, then observing the resulting change in cellular signaling or activity. Researchers may relate that response to gene or protein function, cell communication, or effects in tissues and organisms. This progression connects molecular binding behavior with broader biological consequences.
Researchers use targeted changes in signaling to examine how gene or protein activity contributes to a biological response. Increasing, decreasing, or redirecting a pathway can reveal whether that pathway participates in cellular behavior or communication. Extending observations from cells to tissues or organisms helps place molecular and protein-level findings within a broader biological context.
Drug discovery uses modulation to connect a compound’s molecular mechanism with desired therapeutic effects and adverse responses. Studying how a target changes cellular, tissue, or organismal behavior can identify potentially useful strategies for treating disease. The same analysis may also reveal unwanted effects, helping researchers evaluate both the promise and limitations of a candidate approach.