Electrophysiological Recordings of the Polycystin Complex in the Primary Cilium of Cultured Mouse IMCD-3 Cell Line

Abstract

PC-1 and PC-2 form an ion channel complex called the polycystin complex, which predominantly localizes to a small hair-like organelle called the primary cilium. The polycystin complex permeates cations, K⁺, Na⁺, and Ca²⁺, and has an unusual 1:3 stoichiometry that combines one PC-1 subunit with three PC-2 subunits. However, the small size and shape of primary cilia impose technical challenges to study the polycystin complex in its native environment. In this paper, we describe the methodology to directly record ion channel activity in primary cilia. This method will allow a detailed functional characterization of how mutations within the polycystin complex cause Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD), essential to develop novel therapeutics for this ciliopathy.

Keywords: Electrophysiology; Ion channel; PC-1; PC-2; Polycystin complex; Primary cilia.