Organellar electrophysiology: DNA nanodevices charging at the unmeasured

Abstract

Organellar ion channels are regulators of key processes of cellular homeostasis as well as being involved in diseases including cancer, neurological disorders and virus infection. Individual organelle-level electrophysiology has until recently only been performed using isolated organelles, removing any direct physiological context. New DNA-based nanodevices — Clensor (chloride sensor), RatiNa (sodium sensor) and pHlicKer (potassium sensor), now allow imaging-based mapping of sodium and potassium levels in membranous organelles. This breakthrough paves the way for studying ion homeostasis relevant to a variety of diseases as well as fundamental processes.