Synthetic in silico heterologously-expressed channels can be electronically transfected into in vitro patch clamped live whole cells. The Cybercyte has over 00 pre-installed validated ion channel models to choose from, or you can add your own based on your own data or on published data. You can use the CyberSolver model building software to create your own Markov Models from your own experimental data or from published data. Cytoybernetics can also build and validate models for you. Using the Cybercyte in this mode is like transfecting a channel into a whole cell, but in seconds rather than weeks. The in vivo current amplitude in the whole cell can be scaled instantly, to reflect changes in expresion.

The Cybercyte goes beyond a simple dynamic clamp system. The Cybercyte can run synthetic in silico whole cell models, and incorporate real time currents from in vitro patch clamp experiments on heterologously expressed cells to create and in silico in vitro hybrid whole cell. The patch clamped cell is instantly electronically “transfected” into the synthetic cell. The Cybercyte has several synthetic in silico whole cell models available, (including synapses) or you can create your own from the library of individual ion channels in the Cybercyte channel library.

When using the Cybercyte in Synthetic Cell mode, the in vitro experimental channel can be exposed to drugs, changes in temperature, or any other interventions, and these changes can be examined in the context of the whole cell assay.