Patch-clamp fluorometry and its applications to the study of ion channels

Abstract

Patch-clamp remains the premier technique to study ion channel properties. Among the more useful extensions of patch-clamp, is the simultaneous use of fluorescence and spectroscopic techniques and electrophysiological recording known as patch-clamp fluorometry. This technique permits the simultaneous correlation of ionic current recordings with the activity of electrically silent protein conformational changes reported by the fluorescence measurement. Several recent and ongoing advances in fluorescent probes, genetically encoded fluorescent sensors based on fluorescent proteins or fluorescent noncanonical amino acids are making these methodologies more and more useful in the study of ion channel dynamics and regulation.