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Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Patch Clamp Recording of Ion Channels Expressed in Xenopus Oocytes
Published on: October 15, 2008
Influence of the patch pipette glass on single acetylcholine channels recorded from Xenopus myocytes
1Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan 00901.
Abstract:
The type of glass used to fabricate patch pipettes influences the kinetic properties of single-channel currents activated by acetylcholine in Xenopus myocytes. In patches formed with hard glass pipettes, the opening rate decreased in a time-dependent manner. Such decrease was most pronounced for the low-conductance channel. In addition, longer-duration events of this form of channel dropped out faster than shorter-duration events and, as a consequence, the apparent channel open time became shorter during the recording period. These effects were not observed in patches formed with soft glass pipettes.

