Whole-Cell Patch-Clamp Recordings

The patch-clamp recording technique, which measures ionic currents under voltage clamp, was designed to study small patches of membranes in which near perfect control of the transmembrane voltage can be achieved readily. The recent application of patch-clamp methodology to the analysis of whole-cell current actually defies many of the original design requirements. Nevertheless, whole-cell recordings are used routinely in electrophysiology laboratories to study electrical currents carried by ions through ion channels, neurotransmitter receptors, and electrogenic transporters in cell types of virtually any origin. Since the introduction of the patch-clamp technique in 1981 (Hamill et al., 1981) and the subsequent rapid development of commercial amplifiers, this method of intracellular recording has nearly replaced sharp electrode recordings, particularly in the study of cultured cells. This procedure and its applications have been the topics of numerous excellent reviews and book chapters (see Recommended Readings). In addition to summarizing some basic concepts, this chapter specifically emphasizes handson procedures and protocols. It is hoped that the chapter will effectively complement previous accounts of the patch-clamp technique.