Extracellular Recording
Extracellular Recording - Related Videos
03:04
Extracellular Recording of Electrical Activity in the Drosophila Central Nervous System
0 Views •
2025
The video demonstrates the extracellular recording of neuronal activity from the central nervous system (CNS) of Drosophila larvae. The transected CNS is positioned in a recording chamber, and the electrical activity from a descending nerve is recorded to establish the baseline firing frequency. A test agent is then introduced, and the change in firing frequency is recorded to determine the agent's excitatory or inhibitory effect.
15:28
Extracellular Wire Tetrode Recording in Brain of Freely Walking Insects
0 Views •
Cited by 24 •
2014
We previously developed a technique for implanting tetrode wires into the central complex of cockroach brains that allows us to monitor activity in individual units of tethered cockroaches. Here we present a modified version of that technique that allows us to also record brain activity in freely moving insects.
08:59
Multichannel Extracellular Recording in Freely Moving Mice
0 Views •
Cited by 1 •
2023
The protocol describes the methodology of extracellular recording in the motor cortex (MC) to reveal extracellular electrophysiological properties in freely moving conscious mice, as well as the data analysis of local field potentials (LFPs) and spikes, which is useful for evaluating the network neural activity underlying behaviors of interest.
12:32
Retrograde Fluorescent Labeling Allows for Targeted Extracellular Single-unit Recording from Identified Neurons In vivo
0 Views •
Cited by 14 •
2013
Retrograde transport of fluorescent dye labels a sub-population of neurons based on anatomical projection. Labeled axons can be visually targeted in vivo, permitting extracellular recording from identified axons. This technique facilitates recording when neurons cannot be labeled through genetic manipulation or are difficult to isolate using 'blind' in vivo approaches.
07:02
Extracellular Multi-Unit Recording from the Olfactory Nerve of Teleosts
0 Views •
Cited by 6 •
2020
Extracellular multi-unit recording from the olfactory nerve is a sensitive, robust and reproducible method for assessing olfactory sensitivity in marine fish. It records primary sensory input and is independent of external salinity.
FAQs
Ion movement across an excitable membrane changes the voltage in the surrounding fluid. Because the electrode remains outside the cell, it detects these local voltage changes rather than measuring the membrane from within. An amplifier then strengthens the electrical signal, allowing researchers to examine activity associated with action potentials, field potentials, or slower population-level events.
These signal categories describe electrical activity at different scales. Action potentials represent brief events associated with excitable cells, whereas field potentials reflect voltage changes across a surrounding region. Slower population-level activity captures broader changes produced by groups of cells or tissue. Distinguishing these patterns helps investigators relate recorded signals to cellular or network physiology.
The method can monitor multiple cells while avoiding direct penetration of the membrane, and its relative stability supports observations over an experiment. This combination makes it useful for examining how electrical activity is coordinated across tissue rather than focusing only on one cell. The resulting measurements can reveal network dynamics and population-level signaling.
An electrode positioned outside a cell or tissue samples voltage changes in the surrounding fluid, so the recorded signal reflects nearby physiological activity. The location therefore influences whether measurements emphasize activity from an individual excitable cell, a local tissue region, or a broader population. Careful placement is essential for matching the recording to the biological question.
A typical workflow places an electrode outside the target cell or tissue, connects it to an amplifier, detects voltage changes generated by ionic activity, and analyzes the resulting electrical trace. Researchers then classify or interpret the signal as an action potential, field potential, or slower population-level activity, depending on the pattern and scale observed.
Measurements can show when excitable cells or tissues become electrically active and whether activity appears as individual events, local field changes, or slower population patterns. This supports analysis of physiological signaling at cellular and network scales. Researchers can use those outcomes to investigate communication among neurons, coordinated tissue activity, and responses involved in sensory processing.
Researchers apply the technique in basic physiology and biomedical research to study neuronal communication, network dynamics, muscle activity, and sensory processing. It is especially useful when experiments require stable measurements or observation of multiple cells. By connecting electrical patterns with tissue function, the method helps investigate both normal physiological signaling and broader biological activity.
In neuronal studies, recordings can examine communication and network dynamics; in muscle research, they can track electrical activity from excitable tissue; and in sensory studies, they can characterize signaling associated with processing. The same measurement approach therefore links electrical events to distinct biological functions while preserving access to activity across cells or tissue.