Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

, Volume 80, Issue 1–2, pp 49–57 | Cite as

A whole-cell patch clamp technique which minimizes cell dialysis

  • J. R. Hume
  • R. N. Leblanc
Invited Paper
Accepted:

Summary

A variant of the whole-cell patch clamp technique is described which allows measurement of whole-cell ionic currents in small cells while minimizing cell dialysis with the pipette solution. The technique involves the application of negative pressure to the inside of small (< 1 µm) tip diameter pipettes placed on the cell surface to achieve high resistance seals and membrane rupture. The technique has been used successfully in a variety of different types of cells to study membrane currents carried by Ca and K, currents generated by exchange carriers as well as electrical coupling between cells. Overall, the technique seems well suited for the study of ionic currents in small cells, and provides an alternative to conventional patch clamping techniques which necessitate intracellular dialysis.

Key words

electrophysiology patch clamp ionic channels 
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Copyright information

© Kluwer Academic Publishers 1988

Authors and Affiliations

  • J. R. Hume
    • 1
  • R. N. Leblanc
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of PhysiologyUniversity of Nevada School of MedicineRenoUSA

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