Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 17, 2026

One-channel Cell-attached Patch-clamp Recording
Published on: June 9, 2014
Single-Channel Recording of Ligand-Gated Ion Channels
1Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), 13125 Berlin, Germany; NeuroCure, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
Abstract:
Single-channel recordings reveal the microscopic properties of individual ligand-gated ion channels. Such recordings contain much more information than measurements of ensemble behavior and can yield structural and functional information about the receptors that participate in fast synaptic transmission in the brain. With a little care, a standard patch-clamp electrophysiology setup can be adapted for single-channel recording in a matter of hours. Thenceforth, it is a realistic aim to record single-molecule activity with microsecond resolution from arbitrary cell types, including cell lines and neurons.
Related Concept Videos
Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that...
Patch Clamp
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...
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism
Ion Channels
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow...
Mechanically-gated Ion Channels

