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Microstructured apertures in planar glass substrates for ion channel research
Niels Fertig1, Michael George, Michèle Klau
1Nanion Technologies GmbH, München, Germany.
Receptors & Channels
|June 27, 2003
Summary
Researchers created novel planar glass chip devices for patch clamp recording, enabling high-resolution ion channel and whole-cell recordings. This advancement also facilitates simultaneous single-molecule fluorescence and single-channel measurements.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Materials Science
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Patch clamp recording is crucial for studying ion channels.
- Traditional substrates like silicon have limitations for certain applications.
- Glass offers advantages like dielectric properties, membrane interaction, and optical neutrality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop planar glass chip devices for patch clamp electrophysiology.
- To overcome challenges in microstructuring glass substrates.
- To enable high-resolution ion channel and cellular recordings.
Main Methods:
- Utilized ion-track etching techniques to create micron-sized apertures in glass coverslips.
- Fabricated planar glass chip devices for patch clamp applications.
- Tested devices for single ion channel and whole-cell current recordings.
Main Results:
- Successfully produced micron-sized apertures in borosilicate and quartz glass.
- Achieved high-resolution single ion channel recordings.
- Demonstrated whole-cell current recordings from mammalian cell lines.
- Enabled simultaneous single-molecule fluorescence and single-channel measurements.
Conclusions:
- Planar glass chip devices are effective for patch clamp recording.
- Ion-track etching is a viable method for microstructuring glass.
- These devices offer new possibilities for biophysical and cellular studies, including advanced fluorescence applications.