Tweak Your Technique Electrophysiology 101 August 19, 2011 Kevin Lee
What can be studied with electrophysiology? Single channel behaviour – in expression systems: HEK293, CHO’s, X. Laevis oocytes Intrinsic properties of excitable cells – neurons, myocytes Synaptic transmission – neuromuscular junction, neuronal synapses
The hippocampus
Field recordings
LTP/LTD
Whole-cell Recordings
Patch-Recording Methods
Whole-cell recordings Current-clamp vs Voltage-clamp “EPSP” “EPSC”
Whole-cell recordings Current-clamp vs Voltage-clamp
Voltage-clamp
mEPSCs (minis) mEPSC amplitude reflects synaptic AMPAR content Beique et al. (PNAS, 2006)
mEPSCs (minis) mEPSC frequency can reflect: - total number of synapses - presynaptic function
Release probability (Pr) of glutamate Changes in frequency of mEPSCs is generally believed to reflect changes in Pr. “Paired-Pulse” electrical stimulation can also provide information about Pr. Beique et al. (PNAS, 2006)
What about Molecular interventions?
Biolistic transfection of cortical neurons in organotypic slices Beique & Andrade (J. Physiol, 2002; cover photo)
Biolistic transfection of cortical neurons in organotypic slices
Barria & Malinow (Neuron, 2002)Cull-Candy et al. (Science STKE, 2004)
Drawbacks to electrical stimulation: - Difficult to isolate individual synaptic events - Spatial Parameters left unknown
2P-Uncaging of MNI-Glutamate
Béïque et al., PNAS 2006 Uncaging of MNI-Glu activates both AMPA and NMDA receptors High spatial resolution of glutamate uncaging
Single Synapse Ca 2+ Imaging Time Uncage Simultaneous Glutamate Uncaging and Calcium Imaging
Fundamental dendritic properties probed by glutamate uncaging and calcium imaging Losonczy & Magee (Neuron, 2006)
Fundamental dendritic properties probed by glutamate uncaging and calcium imaging Losonczy & Magee (Neuron, 2006)
Experimental Wizardry to Envy Kravitz et al. (Nature, 2009)
Experimental Wizardry to Envy Kravitz et al. (Nature, 2009)
Multiple Simultaneous Recordings in Slices Olah et al. (Nature, 2009)
The End