The patch-clamp technique allows a researcher to measure the biophysical properties of ion-channels on millisecond timescales. The most common method used to assess ion-channel function is known as the patch-clamp electrophysiological technique that was developed in the 1970s by Nobel Prize Laureates Erwin Neher and Bert Sakmann. Determining when to use each electrophysiological technique depends on many different factors including the biophysical properties of the recorded cell, the type of tissue being examined, the use of current- and/or voltage-clamp, whether the intra- and/or extracellular environments will be modulated in the experiments, and most importantly whether a single channel or several ion channels will be recorded. Various electrophysiology techniques have been developed to detect and manipulate ion-channel function and/or action potential generation. Specifically, electrophysiological techniques used in excitable tissues rely on the ionic conductance of ion-channels and how these influence changes in the membrane potential of the cell being examined. Since we have learned that neurons contain channels, receptors and transporters in Unit 1, one of the most useful parameters that neuroscientists examine, involves determining the movement of ions and the resultant modulation of neuronal membrane potential. 3.1 Patch-Clamp Electrophysiology Overview of Cellular Methods
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |