We use the whole-cell patch clamp technique to study the synaptic circuitry that underlies visual information processing in the retina. In this video, we will guide you through the process of performing whole-cell recordings of light evoked currents of individual cells in the retinal slice preparation. We use the aquatic tiger salamander as an animal model. We begin by describing the dissection...

Potassium channels are trans-membrane proteins, which selectively transport K+ ions across cell membranes and play a key role in regulating the physiology of excitability cells and signal transduction pathways. Bothutous Schach (BS) scorpion venom consists of several polypeptides that could modulate ion channels. In this study, the effects of BS crude venom on passive and active electrophysiolo...

Mammals use tactile end-organs to perform sensory tasks such as environmental exploration, social interaction, and tactile discrimination. However, cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying tactile transduction in tactile end-organs remain poorly understood. The patch-clamp recording technique may be the most valuable approach for detecting and studying tactile transduction in tactile end-or...

While high-throughput planar patch-clamp instruments are now established to perform whole-cell recordings for drug screening, the conventional micropipette-based approach remains the gold standard for performing cell-attached single-channel recordings. Generally, planar platforms are not well-suited for such studies due to excess noise resulting from low seal resistances and the use of substrat...

Due to its exquisite sensitivity and the ability to monitor and control individual cells at the level of ion channels, patch-clamping is the gold standard of electrophysiology applied to disease models and pharmaceutical screens alike. The method traditionally involves gently contacting a cell with a glass pipette filled by a physiological solution in order to isolate a patch of the membrane un...

The rate of renin secretion from renal juxtaglomerular (JG) cells is the major determinant of the activity of the renin-angiotensin system. However, the mechanisms involved in the excretion and turnover of secretory granules in the JG cells remain obscure. Therefore, in the present study, the whole-cell patch-clamp technique was applied to single JG cells from the mouse kidney to measure change...

Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were made from morphologically identified ganglion cells in the intact retina of developing ferrets. As early as 3 d after birth, all ganglion cells exhibited bursts of spontaneous activity, with the interval between bursts gradually decreasing with maturity. By 2 weeks after birth, ganglion cells could be morphologically differentiated into three major classes...

The study of ion channel-mediated changes in membrane potential using the conventional bisoxonol fluorescent dye DiBAC(4)(3) has several limitations, including a slow onset of response and multistep preparation, that limit both the fidelity of the results and the throughput of membrane potential assays. Here, we report the characterization of the FLIPR Membrane Potential Assay Kit (FMP) in cell...

introduction: in a serious brain disorder like alzheimer's disease, the levels of acetylcholine (ach) drop significantly. the gradual death of cholinergic brain cells leads to a profound loss of memory and learning ability. acetylcholine is the chemical messenger that sends messages from one neuron to another in the area of the brain used for memory. many of the current medications act to ...