“…The ®rst approach made use of direct electric measurements, either by electrophysiological techniques applied to native cells (Rakowski et al, 1990, Gadsby, Rakowski & De Weer, 1993Rakowski, 1993;Hilgemann, 1994;Holmgren et al, 2000) or by use of capacitive coupling of open membrane fragments puri®ed from kidney tissue, which were adsorbed tightly to planar lipid bilayers (Fendler et al, 1985;Borlinghaus, Apell & LaÈ uger, 1987;Wuddel & Apell, 1995;Sokolov et al, 1998;Pintschovius, Fendler & Bamberg, 1999;Domaszewicz & Apell, 1999). As an alternative method an indirect approach was introduced, which utilizes electrochromic styryl dyes that allow the detection of charge movements in the Na,K-ATPase (Klodos & Forbush, III, 1988;BuÈ hler et al, 1991;StuÈ rmer et al, 199l;Pratap & Robinson, 1993;Heyse et al, 1994;Fedosova, Cornelius & Klodos, 1995;Klodos, Fedosova & Cornelius, 1997;Clarke et al, 1998;Schneeberger & Apell, 1999). In the case of the CaATPase of the sarcoplasmatic reticulum (SR) the situation is di erent: direct electric measurements are not possible since the membrane of the SR is extremely leaky for monovalent cations, a property that short-circuits both sides of the membrane.…”