Recording and hodgkin-huxley kinetic analysis of voltage-gated ion channels in nucleated patches

Abstract

The patch-clamp technique is widely used to measure and characterize ion currents flowing through the cell membrane. Various configurations can be used according to the research hypothesis. A relatively new configuration of the patch-clamp technique is the outside-out nucleated patch, which allows measuring somatic currents in voltage-clamp recordings due to a reduction in technical issues. Characterization of ionic currents is mostly based on the Hodgkin-Huxley model, a detailed mathematical and biophysical model of membrane excitability. This chapter describes voltage-clamp experiments step by step, from preparation and performing outside-out nucleated patch experiments through to the Hodgkin-Huxley analysis of the recorded data.