Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

The structure and dynamics of patch-clamped membranes: a study using differential interference contrast light

M Sokabe1, F Sachs

  • 1Department of Biophysical Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo 14214.

The Journal of Cell Biology
|August 1, 1990
PubMed
Summary

Patch-clamped membranes include cytoplasm capable of active contraction. These membranes, studied via micromanipulation, form stable seals suggesting a distributed membrane-glass interface property.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The Kinetics and the Permeation Properties of Piezo Channels.

Current topics in membranes·2017
Same author

Free Volume in Membranes: Viscosity or Tension?

Open journal of biophysics·2016
Same author

Mechanosensitive channels are activated by stress in the actin stress fibres, and could be involved in gravity sensing in plants.

Plant biology (Stuttgart, Germany)·2013
Same author

New candidates for mechano-sensitive channels potentially involved in gravity sensing in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Plant biology (Stuttgart, Germany)·2013
Same author

Minimum Information about a Cardiac Electrophysiology Experiment (MICEE): standardised reporting for model reproducibility, interoperability, and data sharing.

Progress in biophysics and molecular biology·2011
Same author

Cardiac mechanosensitivity and stretch-activated ion channels.

Trends in cardiovascular medicine·2011

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Patch-clamp electrophysiology is a key technique in cell membrane research.
  • Understanding the physical properties of patch-clamped membranes is crucial for accurate electrophysiological recordings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the structure and mechanical behavior of patch-clamped membranes under pressure.
  • To characterize the role of the included cytoplasm and the nature of the gigaseal.

Main Methods:

  • Development of micromanipulation techniques combined with high-power video microscopy.
  • Application of controlled pressure steps to study membrane deformation and response.
  • Analysis of cell-attached and excised patches, including inside-out configurations.

Main Results:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Patch-clamped membranes contain cytoplasm with organelles and vesicles, capable of active contraction.
  • Membrane shape changes from planar to spherical with increasing transmural pressure, indicating significant forces.
  • Gigaseals remain intact even when patches are manipulated (peeled or everted), suggesting a distributed interface property.

Conclusions:

  • The gigaseal is a robust, distributed property of the membrane-glass interface.
  • The viscoelastic cytoplasm influences membrane dynamics and response to pressure changes.
  • Micromanipulation under high-power microscopy provides novel insights into patch-clamp membrane mechanics.