Establishing a Whole-Cell Configuration through the Patch Clamp Method

Abstract

Source: Segev, A. et al., Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recordings in Brain Slices. J. Vis. Exp. (2016)

This video demonstrates the whole-cell patch clamp technique in a mouse brain slice. This technique establishes a stable connection between micropipette and neuron membrane, which is further disrupted to establish a whole-cell configuration to study the neuron's health and physiological responses.

Protocol

All procedures involving animal models have been reviewed by the local institutional animal care committee and the JoVE veterinary review board.

1. Slice Preparation

1. Construct or obtain a slice recovery chamber.
   NOTE: The principle for a recovery chamber is straightforward and can be made in the laboratory (Figure 1). Briefly, the chamber is a receptacle in which a basket is inserted to hold the brain slices at a level that is lower than the surface of artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF).
2. As an example, obtain ....

Results

Figure 1. Custom-made Recovery Chamber (A-D) and a Picture of a Brain Slice at 400X Showing Healthy and Dead Neurons (E). A-D) The procedure to make a custom recovery chamber is described in step 2.1. E) Picture of NAc medial shell MSN.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Isolated pulse stimulus generator	A.M.P.I	Master-8
Isolation unit (ISO-Flex)	A.M.P.I	ISO-Flex
Computer controlled Amplifier	Molecular Devices	Multiclamp 700B
Digital Acquisition system	Molecular Devices	Digidata 1500
Microscope	Olympus	BX-51
Micromanipulator	Sutter Instruments	MPC-200
Chamber and in-line Heater	Warner Instruments	TC-344B
Vibratome Slicer	Leica	VT1000 S
Micropipette Puller	Narishige	PC-10
Imaging Camera	Q Imaging	QIClick-F-M-12
Narishige pipette puller PC-10	Narishige	PC-10
Glass capillaries	WPI	TW150F-3
Slice hold-down (harp)	Warner Instruments	64-0255
Slice Chamber	Warner Instruments	RC-26
Nonmetallic syringe needle	World Precision Instruments	MF28G67-5
Syringe filters	Nalgene	176-0045
Glue Gun	Home Depot	various
Gas dispersion tube	Ace Glass Inc.	various
Decapitation scissors	Home Depot	100649198
Scalpel Handle #3	World Precision Instruments	500236
Small straight sharp tips scissors	World Precision Instruments	14218
Vessel canulation forceps	World Precision Instruments	500453
Curved hemostatic forceps	World Precision Instruments	501288
Economy Tweezers #3	World Precision Instruments	501976-6
Spatula	Fisher Scientific	14357Q
Scooping spatula	Fisher Scientific	14-357Q
Petri dish	Fisher Scientific	08-747B
Filter paper	Lab Depot	CFP1-110
Solutions
K-Gluconate internal solution (pH 7.2–7.3, 280–290 mOsm)
K D-gluconate, 120 mM	Sigma Aldrich/various	G4500
KCl, 20 mM	Sigma Aldrich/various	P3911
HEPES, 10 mM	Sigma Aldrich/various	H3375
EGTA, 0.2 mM	Sigma Aldrich/various	E4378
MgCl2	Sigma Aldrich/various	M8266
Na2GTP, 0.3 mM	Sigma Aldrich/various	G8877
MgATP, 2 mM	Sigma Aldrich/various	A9187
Standard artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF, osmolarity ≈ 300-310 mOsm)
KCl, 2.5 mM	Sigma Aldrich/various	P3911
NaCl, 119 mM	Sigma Aldrich/various	S7653
NaH2PO4-H2O, 1 mM	Sigma Aldrich/various	S9638
NaHCO3, 26.2 mM	Sigma Aldrich/various	S8875
Glucose, 11 mM	Sigma Aldrich/various	G8270
MgSO4-7H2O, 1.3 mM	Sigma Aldrich/various	230391
CaCl2-2H2O, 2.5 mM	Sigma Aldrich/various	C3881
Additional compounds used for solutions preparation
KOH	various
Kynurenic acid	Sigma Aldrich/various	K3375