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

A simple intrapipette salt bridge

S J Kleene1

  • 1Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Cincinnati, OH 45267-0521.

Journal of Neuroscience Methods
|January 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a simple method for creating a stable salt bridge in patch pipettes. This technique allows chloride ions (Cl-) to be removed from the membrane surface while maintaining electrode stability.

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

Single ionic channels of two Caenorhabditis elegans chemosensory neurons in native membrane.

The Journal of membrane biology·2002
Same author

Spontaneous gating of olfactory cyclic-nucleotide-gated channels.

The Journal of membrane biology·2000
Same author

Neuronal Ca2+ -activated Cl- channels--homing in on an elusive channel species.

Progress in neurobiology·2000
Same author

Both external and internal calcium reduce the sensitivity of the olfactory cyclic-nucleotide-gated channel to CAMP.

Journal of neurophysiology·1999
Same author

High-gain, low-noise amplification in olfactory transduction.

Biophysical journal·1997
Same author

Noise analysis of ion channels in non-space-clamped cables: estimates of channel parameters in olfactory cilia.

Biophysical journal·1997

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Electrochemistry
  • Cellular Neuroscience

Background:

  • Patch-clamp electrophysiology requires stable recording conditions.
  • Chloride ions (Cl-) can influence membrane potential and ion channel function.
  • Maintaining a stable reference electrode is crucial for accurate electrophysiological recordings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe a simple method for creating a functional salt bridge within a patch pipette.
  • To enable the removal of chloride ions from the membrane surface during patch-clamp recordings.
  • To ensure the electrical stability of the recording electrode using the described method.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing a dual-solution system within the patch pipette tip.
  • Incorporating a chloride-free solution at the pipette tip to isolate the membrane patch.
  • Employing an agarose gel (0.07% w/v) to prevent solution mixing.
  • Positioning a chloride-containing solution around the silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) recording electrode.

Main Results:

  • Successfully created a salt bridge within the patch pipette.
  • Achieved removal of chloride ions (Cl-) from the membrane surface.
  • Maintained electrical stability of the Ag/AgCl recording electrode.
  • Demonstrated that the chloride-free phase does not compromise recording stability.

Conclusions:

  • The described method provides a simple and effective way to establish a salt bridge in patch pipettes.
  • This technique allows for precise control over the ionic environment at the membrane surface.
  • The method ensures reliable and stable electrophysiological recordings by maintaining electrode integrity.

Related Experiment Videos