Ion Channel Nanodisc Proteins & Research Tools-DIMA BIOTECH

Introduction

Ion channels are important multi-pass transmembrane proteins that regulate the transport of ions such as Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Cl⁻ across cell membranes. They play key roles in neuronal signaling, cardiac rhythm, pain sensation, immune regulation, epithelial transport, tumor progression, and cellular signal transduction. Major ion channel families include ligand-gated ion channels, voltage-gated ion channels, TRP channels, P2X receptors, ASICs, GABA_A receptors, NMDA receptors, NaV, CaV, KV, CFTR, ClC, ENaC, and Aquaporins.

In drug discovery and membrane protein research, ion channels are important targets for small-molecule screening and are increasingly attracting attention in antibody and immunotherapy development. Due to their complex structures and strong dependence on lipid membrane environments, high-quality ion channel proteins, antibodies, and stable cell lines are valuable tools for target validation, antibody discovery, SPR binding analysis, functional assays, and structural studies.

The strucutre of ion channel

Popular Ion Channel Targets

To help researchers quickly identify ion channel-related targets by research area, DIMA BIOTECH categorizes popular ion channel targets based on drug discovery trends and disease research fields, including pain and neuroscience, cardiovascular research and drug safety, immunology and inflammation, oncology, epithelial transport, and metabolic diseases.

Pain, cough, epilepsy, neurodegenerative diseases, and sensory nerve signaling are major areas of ion channel research. Targets such as TRP channels, NaV sodium channels, ASICs, P2X receptors, and neurotransmitter-gated ion channels play important roles in neuronal excitability, pain perception, and synaptic transmission, making them key targets in analgesic drug discovery and neuroscience research.

TRPV1

Alias: Capsaicin receptor, Vanilloid receptor 1
Indication: Inflammatory pain; Neuropathic pain

Explore the blog of TRPV1

TRPA1

Alias: Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1
Indication: Chronic cough; Inflammatory pain

Explore the blog of TRPA1

TRPM8

Alias: Cold and menthol receptor 1
Indication: Migraine; Cold pain

SCN9A / NaV1.7

Alias: Voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.7
Indication: Chronic pain; Inherited pain disorders

SCN10A / NaV1.8

Alias: Voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.8
Indication: Peripheral neuropathic pain; Inflammatory pain

SCN11A / NaV1.9

Alias: Voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.9
Indication: Chronic pain; Visceral pain

P2RX3 / P2X3

Alias: P2X purinoceptor 3
Indication: Chronic cough; Neuropathic pain

ASIC3

Alias: Acid-sensing ion channel 3
Indication: Inflammatory pain; Musculoskeletal pain

Cardiac action potentials, heart rhythm regulation, and cardiac safety evaluation of drug candidates are highly dependent on ion channel function. Targets including hERG, NaV1.5, CaV1.2, and KCNQ1 are widely used in arrhythmia studies, QT prolongation risk assessment, and cardiovascular drug screening.

KCNH2 / hERG

Alias: Human ether-à-go-go-related gene potassium channel
Indication: QT prolongation; Cardiac arrhythmia

KCNE1

Alias: Potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily E member 1
Indication: Long QT syndrome; Cardiac arrhythmia

SCN5A / NaV1.5

Alias: Cardiac voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.5
Indication: Brugada syndrome; Cardiac arrhythmia

CACNA1C / CaV1.2

Alias: L-type voltage-gated calcium channel CaV1.2
Indication: Hypertension; Cardiac arrhythmia

HCN4

Alias: Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 4
Indication: Sinus node dysfunction; Bradycardia

TRPM4

Alias: Calcium-activated non-selective cation channel TRPM4
Indication: Cardiac conduction block; Cardiac arrhythmia

Ion channels also play important roles in inflammatory signaling, immune cell activation, oxidative stress, tumor proliferation, migration, and cellular metabolism.

P2RX7 / P2X7

Alias: P2X purinoceptor 7
Indication: Inflammatory diseases; Tumor immunology

TRPM2

Alias: Oxidative stress-sensitive cation channel TRPM2
Indication: Neuroinflammation; Metabolic inflammation

TRPV6

Alias: Calcium-selective TRP channel TRPV6
Indication: Prostate cancer; Breast cancer

TRPC6

Alias: Transient receptor potential canonical channel 6
Indication: Glioma; Renal cancer

TRPM7

Alias: Channel-kinase TRPM7
Indication: Breast cancer; Pancreatic cancer

VDAC1

Alias: Voltage-dependent anion channel 1
Indication: Cancer metabolism; Apoptosis research

Epithelial ion transport channels are involved in water and salt balance, mucus secretion, barrier function, and ion homeostasis in the lung, intestine, kidney, pancreas, and exocrine tissues. Targets such as ENaC and Aquaporins are widely studied in cystic fibrosis, pulmonary diseases, intestinal secretion, and renal transport research.

SCNN1A / ENaC α

Alias: Epithelial sodium channel alpha subunit
Indication: Pulmonary diseases; Abnormal sodium absorption

SCNN1B / ENaC β

Alias: Epithelial sodium channel beta subunit
Indication: Pulmonary diseases; Renal salt and water balance

SCNN1G / ENaC γ

Alias: Epithelial sodium channel gamma subunit
Indication: Hypertension; Renal salt and water balance

AQP1

Alias: Aquaporin 1
Indication: Renal water transport; Pulmonary edema

AQP2

Alias: Aquaporin 2
Indication: Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus; Kidney diseases

AQP4

Alias: Aquaporin 4
Indication: Neuromyelitis optica; Cerebral edema

AQP5

Alias: Aquaporin 5
Indication: Pulmonary fluid transport; Exocrine gland function

AQP7

Alias: Aquaporin 7
Indication: Obesity; Type 2 diabetes

Products

Ion channels are complex multi-pass transmembrane proteins whose native structures rely heavily on lipid membrane environments, making them challenging targets for recombinant expression and antibody discovery. Leveraging its proprietary membrane protein platform, DIMA BIOTECH has developed a range of full-length Nanodisc membrane proteins covering popular targets such as GPCRs and ion channels. These proteins preserve native-like conformations and epitopes, supporting antibody discovery, SPR/BLI binding analysis, and structural studies.