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Related Concept Videos

Patch Clamp01:18

Patch Clamp

Many fundamental cell functions such as muscle contraction and nerve transmission rely on the electrical signals produced by the movement of positively and negatively charged ions across the cell membrane. One competent method to record current flowing across the whole cell or single ion channel is the patch-clamp technique.
In this method, a glass micropipette containing electrolyte solution is tightly sealed against a small portion of the cell membrane. As a result, a patch of the cell...
Fluorescence and Phosphorescence: Instrumentation01:25

Fluorescence and Phosphorescence: Instrumentation

Fluorometers and spectrofluorometers are two types of instruments used for measuring molecular fluorescence. These instruments differ in how they select excitation and emission wavelengths and the type of light sources they utilize. Fluorometers use absorption interference filters to choose excitation and emission wavelengths. The excitation source in a fluorometer is typically a low-pressure mercury vapor lamp that emits intense lines distributed throughout the ultraviolet and visible regions.
Photoluminescence: Applications01:14

Photoluminescence: Applications

Photoluminescence offers a wide range of applications due to its inherent sensitivity and selectivity. This technique allows for both direct and indirect analyses of the analyte. Direct quantitative analysis is possible when the analyte exhibits a favorable quantum yield for fluorescence or phosphorescence. However, an indirect analysis may be feasible if the analyte is not fluorescent or phosphorescent, or if the quantum yield is unfavorable. Indirect methods include reacting the analyte with...
Voltammetric Techniques: Pulse Voltammetry01:17

Voltammetric Techniques: Pulse Voltammetry

Differential-pulse voltammetry (DPV) is a type of voltammetry that involves applying a series of voltage pulses to an electrochemical cell while measuring the resulting current. In DPV, the differential pulse or small potential pulses are superimposed on a linear potential sweep. The magnitude of these pulses is typically small, often in the millivolt range. Each voltage pulse lasts a short duration, usually in the order of a few milliseconds, and is applied at regular intervals along the...
Voltammetry: Overview01:20

Voltammetry: Overview

Voltammetry is an electroanalytical technique in which the current flowing through an electrochemical cell is measured as a function of applied potential, typically under conditions of concentration polarization. The technique provides valuable information about redox-active species, and the current response is plotted as a voltammogram.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2026

The Xenopus Oocyte Cut-open Vaseline Gap Voltage-clamp Technique With Fluorometry
10:57

The Xenopus Oocyte Cut-open Vaseline Gap Voltage-clamp Technique With Fluorometry

Published on: March 11, 2014

The voltage-clamp fluorometry technique.

Chris S Gandhi1, Riccardo Olcese

  • 1Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|November 11, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Voltage-clamp fluorometry (VCF) monitors ion channel function and structural changes during voltage activation. This optical technique, combined with electrophysiology, offers new insights into voltage-gated ion channel mechanisms.

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Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Physiology

Background:

  • Ion channels are crucial transmembrane proteins regulating cellular electrochemical gradients.
  • Understanding ion channel function and structural dynamics is vital for cell signaling.
  • Voltage-gated ion channels are key targets for studying cellular responses to electrical stimuli.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the voltage-clamp fluorometry (VCF) technique for studying ion channel function.
  • To probe structural rearrangements in ion channels during voltage-dependent activation.
  • To present the cut open vaseline gap (COVG) configuration for VCF recordings.

Main Methods:

  • Integration of electrophysiology, molecular biology, chemistry, and fluorescence.
  • Utilizing voltage-clamp fluorometry (VCF) to monitor protein functional states.
  • Employing the cut open vaseline gap (COVG) configuration for enhanced recordings.

Main Results:

  • VCF allows real-time monitoring of ion channel functional states.
  • The technique probes dynamic structural rearrangements upon voltage activation.
  • COVG configuration facilitates robust VCF measurements.

Conclusions:

  • VCF is a powerful optical method for investigating ion channel mechanisms.
  • The technique provides insights into voltage-gated ion channel structure-function relationships.
  • VCF is adaptable for studying various protein systems beyond ion channels.