Measuring Lung Cell Health with a Simple Tool

Have you ever thought about how your body transports important stuff like water and nutrients? It's all thanks to a protective layer called the epithelial lining. Sometimes, this lining can get damaged or not work properly, leading to various health issues. Scientists have a special machine called the Ussing chamber to test how well this lining works. But it's big, pricey, and hard to use. Plus, it needs tissue to be removed from the body first. Enter the I sc probe! It's like a smaller, simpler tool to measure the same thing. Researchers used it on rats to see how well it could spot issues with a specific ion channel called CFTR. Some rats had normal function, while others had reduced CFTR function. The probe did a decent job compared to the big machine, making it a promising option for easier, less invasive testing.