ION sells a collection of best-in-class fluorescent sodium indicators and sodium channel assays for drug discovery research. ION natrium green (ING-2 AM, formerly Asante natrium green) has excellent selectivity for sodium over other monovalent cations, and the appropriate affinity to measure sodium channel activity. Additional sodium indicators include SBFI AM, a ratiometric sodium indicator with a low Kd for Na+, and ING-1 AM, a lower affinity sodium dye. Thallium can be used as a surrogate for sodium for many sodium channels, making Thallos AM and our thallium flux assays an alternative solution for sodium channel assays.
Sodium, along with potassium (K⁺), is one of the most important monovalent metal cations in living organisms. Sodium channels, Na⁺-permeable non-selective monovalent cation channels, and Na⁺ transporters play critical roles including modulating neuronal activity, powering transport of nutrients and signaling molecules, and regulating solute balance. Na⁺-permeable channel and Na⁺ transporter-targeted drugs provide effective treatments for a diversity of indications: epilepsy, pain, bipolar disorder, depression, diuresis, and many others. An increasingly long list of Na⁺-permeable channels, and Na⁺ transporters are being associated with a wide variety of disorders. As a result, interest in Na⁺-permeable channels and Na⁺ transporters as drug targets remains high.
