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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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Pressure-polishing Pipettes for Improved Patch-clamp Recording
05:12

Pressure-polishing Pipettes for Improved Patch-clamp Recording

Published on: October 22, 2008

Pressure-polishing pipettes for improved patch-clamp recording.

Brandon E Johnson1, Austin L Brown, Miriam B Goodman

  • 1Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.

Journal of Visualized Experiments : Jove
|December 17, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Pressure-polishing shapes glass pipettes for patch-clamp recording, reducing resistance by 25% without altering tip size. This technique is crucial for recording from small neuronal cells and improving single-channel recordings.

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Pressure-polishing Pipettes for Improved Patch-clamp Recording
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Making Patch-pipettes and Sharp Electrodes with a Programmable Puller
05:30

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Published on: October 8, 2008

One-channel Cell-attached Patch-clamp Recording
13:07

One-channel Cell-attached Patch-clamp Recording

Published on: June 9, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biophysics
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Patch-clamp recording requires precisely shaped glass pipettes.
  • Conventional micropipette pullers have limitations for recording from small cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce and detail the pressure-polishing technique for fabricating specialized patch-clamp pipettes.
  • To demonstrate the utility of pressure-polished pipettes for recording from small neuronal cell bodies and improving electrophysiological measurements.

Main Methods:

  • Combines air pressure and heat, similar to glass-blowing, applied to pre-pulled glass pipettes.
  • Utilizes a microforge equipped with a high-pressure valve and fitting.
  • Applicable to both soft (soda lime) and hard (borosilicate) glasses.

Main Results:

  • Reduces pipette resistance by approximately 25% without compromising tip opening diameter.
  • Enables fabrication of pipettes suitable for recording from ultrasmall cells (<5 m).
  • Improves single-channel recording quality by minimizing pipette resistance and creates a blunt tip beneficial for perforated-patch clamp recording.

Conclusions:

  • Pressure-polishing is an effective method for modifying patch pipette geometry.
  • This technique enhances patch-clamp recording capabilities, particularly for small cells and single-channel analysis.
  • The blunt tip morphology is advantageous for specific recording configurations like perforated-patch clamp.