Elsevier

Methods in Enzymology

Volume 207, 1992, Pages 100-122
Methods in Enzymology

[5] Access resistance and space clamp problems associated with whole-cell patch clamping

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Publisher Summary

Without proper compensation for series resistance and demonstration of a good space clamp, all measurements of membrane current are qualitative. This chapter discusses the impediments that have harried investigators since the first development of the voltage clamp. The illustrations provided in the chapter refer to several significant points: (1) spatial uniformity of voltage under resting conditions does not imply spatial uniformity in the active cell, (2) steady-state uniformity of voltage does not imply uniformity after a quick change of voltage, and (3) measured current in the absence of voltage uniformity bears no resemblance to the current from a well space-clamped cell. The chapter concludes that interpretation of voltage clamp data—where adequate space clamping is impossible—is extremely difficult unless the membrane is passive and uniform in its properties and the geometry is simple.

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