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Advan. Physiol. Edu. 33: 121-129, 2009; doi:10.1152/advan.90205.2008
1043-4046/09 $8.00
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ADV PHYSIOL EDUC 33:121-129, 2009
© 2009 American Physiological Society

TEACHING IN THE LABORATORY

Construction, calibration, and validation of a simple patch-clamp amplifier for physiology education

Ali Rouzrokh1, Soltan Ahmed Ebrahimi2 and Massoud Mahmoudian2

1 Department of Pharmacology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2 Razi Institute for Drug Research, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: S. A. Ebrahimi, Razi Institute for Drug Research, Iran Univ. of Medical Sciences, Hemmat Expressway, PO Box 14155-6183, Tehran, Iran (e-mail: ebrahimi{at}iums.ac.ir)

A modular patch-clamp amplifier was constructed based on the Strickholm design, which was initially published in 1995. Various parts of the amplifier such as the power supply, input circuit, headstage, feedback circuit, output and nulling circuits were redesigned to use recent software advances and fabricated using the common lithographic printed circuit board fabrication process and commercially available electronic components. The calibration, validation, and regular recording procedures along with the results of an actual recording of inward Ca2+ currents from PC12 neuronal cells are described in detail. This work describes the construction of a low-cost patch-clamp amplifier and setting up an electrophysiology recording system in a laboratory with regular technical expertise. The constructed amplifier provides an inexpensive yet practical tool for research and teaching purposes while the experience obtained during construction and setting up of the patch-clamp amplifier provides the basic and advanced understanding required for operating an advanced cell potential recording apparatus.

Key words: electrophysiology






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