Patch Clamp Technique and Applications

Abstract

There are two main modes in patch clamp recordings: voltage clamp and current clamp. In the voltage clamp mode, the membrane voltage is controlled by the amplifier through the recording pipette and the corresponding current through the pipette is measured. In the current clamp mode, the amplifier controls the amount of current passing through the pipette and the corresponding change in voltage is measured. A third less used mode involves applying no clamp (often designated as I = 0 on the amplifier). This mode is similar to intracellular recordings with a sharp electrode. This chapter will focus on the basic setup and concepts of the patch clamp technique, including considerations of noise and voltage errors in the measurement.