The use of cytodex microcarrier beads in patch-clamp studies on cultured epithelial cells

This paper describes an economical attachment substratum for use in patch-clamp experiments on cultured epithelial cells. It consists of Cytodex microcarrier beads on which growing cells present a unique profile perspective that increases the ease with which patch-clamp seals can be obtained. Cells from the mouse mandibular gland cell line, ST885, were grown on the beads and studied using standard patch-clamp techniques. The results were indistinguishable from those obtained from cells grown in monolayers on Petri dishes. The method can be applied in many types of patch-clamp experiment and used with a wide variety of cell types. It is especially useful if one wishes to do experiments in the cell-attached or whole-cell configurations and needs to add drugs or hormones to the external surface of the cell.