A method for making solution changes in the sub-millisecond range at the tip of a patch pipette

Dynamics of T-Junction Solution Switching Aimed at Patch Clamp Experiments

Solutions exchange systems are responsible for the timing of drug application on patch clamp experiments. There are two basic strategies for generating a solution exchange. When slow exchanges are bearable, it is easier to perform the exchange inside the tubing system upstream of the exit port. On the other hand, fast, reproducible, exchanges are usually performed downstream of the exit port. As both strategies are combinable, increasing the performance of upstream exchanges is desirable. We designed a simple method for manufacturing T-junctions (300 μm I.D.) and we measured the time profile of exchange of two saline solutions using a patch pipette with an open tip. Three factors were found to determine the timing of the solution switching: pressure, travelled distance and off-center distance. A linear relationship between the time delay and the travelled distance was found for each tested pressure, showing its dependence to the fluid velocity, which increased with pressure. The exchange time was found to increase quadratically with the delay, although a sizeable variability remains unexplained by this relationship. The delay and exchange times increased as the recording pipette moved away from the center of the stream. Those increases became dramatic as the pipette was moved close to the stream borders. Mass transport along the travelled distance between the slow fluid at the border and the fast fluid at the center seems to contribute to the time course of the solution exchange. This effect would be present in all tubing based devices. Present results might be of fundamental importance for the adequate design of serial compound exchangers which would be instrumental in the discovery of drugs that modulate the action of the physiological agonists of ion channels with the purpose of fine tuning their physiology.

Sub-millisecond ligand probing of cell receptors with multiple solution exchange

The accurate knowledge of receptor kinetics is crucial to our understanding of cell signal transduction in general and neural function in particular. The classical technique of probing membrane receptors on a millisecond scale involves placing a recording micropipette with a membrane patch in front of a double-barrel (θ-glass) application pipette mounted on a piezo actuator. Driven by electric pulses, the actuator can rapidly shift the θ-glass pipette tip, thus exposing the target receptors to alternating ligand solutions. However, membrane patches survive for only a few minutes, thus normally restricting such experiments to a single-application protocol. In order to overcome this deficiency, we have introduced pressurized supply microcircuits in the θ-glass channels, thus enabling repeated replacement of application solutions within 10-15 s. This protocol, which has been validated in our recent studies and takes 20-60 min to implement, allows the characterization of ligand-receptor interactions with high sensitivity, thereby also enabling a powerful paired-sample statistical design.

Achieving maximal speed of solution exchange for patch clamp experiments

Background

Resolving the kinetics of agonist binding events separately from the subsequent channel gating processes requires the ability of applying and removing the agonist before channel gating occurs. No reported system has yet achieved pulses shorter than 100 µs, necessary to study nicotinic ACh receptor or AMPA receptor activation.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Solution exchange systems deliver short agonist pulses by moving a sharp interface between a control and an experimental solution across a channel preparation. We achieved shorter pulses by means of an exchange system that combines a faster flow velocity, narrower partition between the two streams, and increased velocity and bandwidth of the movement of the interface. The measured response of the entire system was fed back to optimize the voltage signal applied to the piezoelectric actuator overcoming the spurious oscillations arising from the mechanical resonances when a high bandwidth driving function was applied. Optimization was accomplished by analyzing the transfer function of the solution exchange system. When driven by optimized command pulses the enhanced system provided pulses lasting 26 ± 1 µs and exchanging 93 ± 1% of the solution, as measured in the open tip of a patch pipette.

Conclusions/Significance

Pulses of this duration open the experimental study of the molecular events that occur between the agonist binding and the opening of the channel.

Measuring action potential-evoked transmission at individual synaptic contacts

In the neuronal culture experimental system, the total synaptic connection between two neurons can consist of large numbers of synaptic sites, each behaving probabilistically. Studies of synaptic function with paired recordings typically consider the summed response across all of these sites and from this infer the average response. Understanding of synaptic transmission and plasticity could be improved by examination of activity at as few synaptic sites as possible. To this end, we develop a system for recording responses from individual contacts. It relies on a precisely regulated pneumatic/hydrostatic pressure system to create a microenvironment within which individual synapses are active, and an acoustic signature method to monitor the stability of this microenvironment noninvasively. With this method we are able to record action potential-evoked postsynaptic currents consistent with individual quanta. The approach does not distort synaptic current waveforms and permits stable recording for several hours. The method is applied to address mechanisms of short-term plasticity, the variability of latency at individual synaptic sites and, in a preliminary experiment, the independence of nearby synapses on the same axon.

A method for bidirectional solution exchange--"liquid bullet" applications of acetylcholine to α7 nicotinic receptors

Fast solution exchange techniques have revolutionized the study of synaptic transmission and promise to remain an important neuroscience research tool. Here we provide evidence for the hypothesis that using continuous, rapid transitions through an agonist solution can significantly increase the exchange rate around a cell by reducing the diffusion boundary at the membrane. This novel approach of rapid solution exchange during whole-cell recordings--described as a "liquid bullet" (LB) application--takes advantage of a bidirectional solution flow around the cell, allowing for a full solution exchange within a range of several milliseconds. An exchange rate (10-90% rise time) of about 2 ms could be achieved during both agonist application and washout. We recorded whole-cell currents from cells expressing the rapidly desensitizing α7 neuronal nicotinic receptor (NNR) subtype that exhibited very fast rise times of around 4-5 ms. We further demonstrated the advantages of a LB application over conventional methods by the ability of this method to elicit concentration-dependent responses for rapidly desensitizing compounds that were not measurable with conventional agonist applications. In addition, we illustrate the utility of this approach for frequency-based assays through fast, repeated agonist applications at frequencies of 1 Hz and 30 Hz. This approach could therefore be useful for the study of rapid agonist-receptor interactions that closely mimic the physiological conditions in the synaptic cleft during bursts of neuronal activity.

A chemical signal generator for resolving temporal dynamics of single cells

To investigate rapid cell signaling, analytical methods are required that can generate repeatable chemical signals for stimulating live cells with high temporal resolution. Here, we present a chemical signal generator based on hydrodynamic gating, permitting flexible stimulation of single adherent cells with a temporal resolution of 20 ms. Studies of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-induced calcium signaling in HeLa cells were demonstrated using this developed method. Consecutive treatment of the cells with ATP pulses of 20 or 1 s led to an increase of latency, which might be another indicator of receptor desensitization in addition to the decrease in the amplitude of calcium spikes. With increasing duration of ATP pulses from milliseconds to a few seconds, the cellular responses transitioned from single calcium spikes to calcium oscillation gradually. We expected this method to open up a new avenue for potential investigation of rapid cell signaling.

Methods of measuring activity at individual synapses: a review of techniques and the findings they have made possible

Neurons in the brain are often linked by single synaptic contacts (Gulyás et al., 1993) and the probabilistic character of synaptic activity makes it desirable to increase the resolution of physiological experiments by observing the function of the smallest possible number of synaptic terminals, ideally, one. Because they are critically important and technically difficult to resolve, several of the core questions investigated in singe-site experiments have been under study for decades (Auger and Marty, 2000). Many approaches have been taken toward the goal of measuring activity at few synapses, and consideration of the capabilities and limitations of each of these methods permits a review of the contributions each has made possible to present understanding of synaptic function. A number of methodological advances in recent years have increased resolving power. New techniques often build on previous developments and many effective approaches combine components of existing specialized methods with new technology. One theme that emerges is that synaptic properties vary among regions, reducing the utility of general questions such as whether synaptic glutamate saturates receptors or how rapidly synaptic vesicle pools are depleted. For several core questions, multiple studies using different methods have reached similar conclusions, suggesting that consensus may be emerging for some anatomic synapses.

A rapid microfluidic switching system for analysis at the single cellular level

Analysis of cellular responses to chemicals at high spatiotemporal resolution is required for precise understanding of intracellular signal transduction. Here, we demonstrated a novel method for applying different solutions to a part of or all of a cell at high spatiotemporal resolution. We fabricated a microfluidic device using polydimethylsiloxane, and the sharp interface between the two solution streams flowing in the channel was used for the application of different solutions. We constructed a computer-controlled system to control the interface movement precisely, rapidly, and reproducibly during positioning, and spatial and temporal resolutions attained were 1.6 mum and 189 ms, respectively. We then applied the present system to the analysis of intracellular responses to chemicals. We were able to measure [Ca (2+)] (i) increases within 500 ms, when one laminar stream covered a part of the cell. This method can be used as a generic platform to investigate responses against drugs at the single cell level.

Increasing the reliability of solution exchanges by monitoring solenoid valve actuation

Solenoid valves are a core component of most solution perfusion systems used in neuroscience research. As they open and close, they control the flow of solution through each perfusion line, thereby modulating the timing and sequence of chemical stimulation. The valves feature a ferromagnetic plunger that moves due to the magnetization of the solenoid and returns to its initial position with the aid of a spring. The delays between the time of voltage application or removal and the actual opening or closing of the valve are difficult to predict beforehand and have to be measured experimentally. Here we propose a simple method for monitoring whether and when the solenoid valve opens and closes. The proposed method detects the movement of the plunger as it generates a measurable signal on the solenoid that surrounds it. Using this plunger signal, we detected the opening and closing of diaphragm and pinch solenoid valves with a systematic error of less than 2ms. After this systematic error is subtracted, the trial-to-trial error was below 0.2ms.

A modular diffusion barrier based on phase separation for localized delivery of discrete drug volumes in aqueous environments

We present a new tool for the precisely controlled transfer of individual picoliter (pL) droplets in the range of 150-950 pL at user defined local positions within aqueous liquid environments while avoiding any leakage by diffusion. This is achieved by a low-cost, disposable and biocompatible cap that can be placed on top of any pL-dispenser and generates a phase-gap between dispensing agent and target liquid when the dispenser is dipped into the latter. We developed two different working modes: (i) the standard mode enables an instant injection (<< 1 ms) of the droplet into the liquid environment and (ii) the focus mode further increases the spatial resolution from 100 microm to 50 microm at the cost of slowing down the injection time. For the phase-gap we have proven an excellent long-term stability of more than 30 hours against capillary priming.

Pentobarbital produces activation and block of {alpha}1{beta}2{gamma}2S GABAA receptors in rapidly perfused whole cells and membrane patches: divergent results can be explained by pharmacokinetics

Millimolar concentrations of the barbiturate pentobarbital (PB) activate γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A receptors (GABARs) and cause blockade reported by a paradoxical current increase or “tail” upon washout. To explore the mechanism of blockade, we investigated PB-triggered currents of recombinant α₁β₂γ_2S GABARs in whole cells and outside-out membrane patches using rapid perfusion. Whole cell currents showed characteristic bell-shaped concentration dependence where high concentrations triggered tail currents with peak amplitudes similar to those during PB application. Tail current time courses could not be described by multi-exponential functions at high concentrations (≥3,000 μM). Deactivation time course decayed over seconds and was slowed by increasing PB concentration and application time. In contrast, macropatch tail currents manifested eightfold greater relative amplitude, were described by multi-exponential functions, and had millisecond rise times; deactivation occurred over fractions of seconds and was insensitive to PB concentration and application time. A parsimonious gating model was constructed that accounts for macropatch results (“patch” model). Lipophilic drug molecules migrate slowly through cells due to avid partitioning into lipophilic subcellular compartments. Inclusion of such a pharmacokinetic compartment into the patch model introduced a slow kinetic component in the extracellular exchange time course, thereby providing recapitulation of divergent whole cell results. GABA co-application potentiated PB blockade. Overall, the results indicate that block is produced by PB concentrations sixfold lower than for activation involving at least three inhibitory PB binding sites, suggest a role of blocked channels in GABA-triggered activity at therapeutic PB concentrations, and raise an important technical question regarding the effective rate of exchange during rapid perfusion of whole cells with PB.

Rapid fluidic exchange microsystem for recording of fast ion channel kinetics in Xenopus oocytes

We present a new lab-on-a-chip system for electrophysiological measurements on Xenopus oocytes. Xenopus oocytes are widely used host cells in the field of pharmacological studies and drug development. We developed a novel non-invasive technique using immobilized non-devitellinized cells that replaces the traditional "two-electrode voltage-clamp" (TEVC) method. In particular, rapid fluidic exchange was implemented on-chip to allow recording of fast kinetic events of exogenous ion channels expressed in the cell membrane. Reducing fluidic exchange times of extracellular reagent solutions is a great challenge with these large millimetre-sized cells. Fluidic switching is obtained by shifting the laminar flow interface in a perfusion channel under the cell by means of integrated poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microvalves. Reagent solution exchange times down to 20 ms have been achieved. An on-chip purging system allows to perform complex pharmacological protocols, making the system suitable for screening of ion channel ligand libraries. The performance of the integrated rapid fluidic exchange system was demonstrated by investigating the self-inhibition of human epithelial sodium channels (ENaC). Our results show that the response time of this ion channel to a specific reactant is about an order of magnitude faster than could be estimated with the traditional TEVC technique.

Rapid solution application methods

Solution changes to deliver solutes of different compositions are required in virtually every cellular electrophysiological experiment. Also, in many neurobiology experiments, it is necessary to make rapid step changes in the concentration of a test compound in order to outpace receptor desensitization or to mimic the brief lifetime of a fast synaptic response. The goal of this unit is to aid the investigator in choosing the rapid solution application method that is most appropriate for the experimental situation and to describe the methods for fabricating two relatively simple devices for making rapid changes between different solutions.

Frequency-dependent modulation of glycine receptor activation recorded from the zebrafish larvae hindbrain

In vertebrates, most glycinergic inhibitory neurons discharge phasically at a relatively low frequency. Such a pattern of glycine liberation from presynaptic terminals may affect the kinetics of post-synaptic glycine receptors. To examine this influence, we have analyzed the behavior of glycine receptors in response to repetitive stimulation at frequencies at which consecutive outside-out currents did not superimpose (0.5-4 Hz). Neurotransmitter release was mimicked on outside-out patches from zebrafish hindbrain Mauthner cells using fast flow application techniques. The amplitude of outside-out currents evoked by short (1 ms) repetitive applications of a saturating concentration (3 mM) of glycine remained unchanged for application frequencies<or=1 Hz. When the application frequency was increased from 1 to 4 Hz, the amplitude of the outside-out currents decreased with time to reach a steady state level. This decrease in current amplitude was larger and occurred faster with increasing application frequencies. Recovery occurred when the stimulation frequency was decreased back to 1 Hz. The recovery time constant was independent on the application frequency. This frequency-dependent inhibition was also observed for non-saturating glycine concentrations. Our results indicate that glycine receptor activity is down-regulated when the stimulation frequency increases to values>1 Hz. Glycine-evoked current simulations using a simple Markov model describing zebrafish glycine receptor kinetic behavior, indicates that this down-regulation of glycine receptor efficacy is due to a progressive accumulation of the receptors in a long lasting desensitization state. Our simulations suggest that this down-regulation can occur even when spontaneous inhibitory currents were generated randomly at a frequency>1 Hz.

Nicotine is highly effective at producing desensitization of rat alpha4beta2 neuronal nicotinic receptors

We examined desensitization by acetylcholine (ACh) and nicotine at the rat alpha4beta2 neuronal nicotinic receptor stably expressed in HEK cells. For both agonists, the decay in response due to desensitization ('onset') was best fitted by the sum of two exponentials with the fast component dominant at concentrations > 1 microM. The time constants for onset were similar for both agonists, and showed little concentration dependence over the range of 0.1-100 microM. Recovery from desensitization also showed two exponential components. In contrast to the similarity in onset, nicotine produced longer lasting desensitization, resulting from an increase in the proportion of receptors in the slowly recovering population and from an increase in the time constant for the slow recovery process. The proportion of receptors in the slowly recovering population increased as the duration of the desensitizing pulse increased. Desensitization was also induced by low concentrations of agonist, with no apparent macroscopic response. A 100 s application of 10 nM nicotine desensitized 70 % of the peak response, while 100 s of 10 nM ACh desensitized only 15 %. At higher concentrations of agonist, which result in a macroscopic response, desensitization in the absence of activation also can occur. Nicotine is a very potent and efficacious desensitizing agent at this neuronal nicotinic receptor.

Molecular features of an alcohol binding site in a neuronal potassium channel

Aliphatic alcohols (1-alkanols) selectively inhibit the neuronal Shaw2 K(+) channel at an internal binding site. This inhibition is conferred by a sequence of 13 residues that constitutes the S4-S5 loop in the pore-forming subunit. Here, we combined functional and structural approaches to gain insights into the molecular basis of this interaction. To infer the forces that are involved, we employed a fast concentration-clamp method (10-90% exchange time = 800 micros) to examine the kinetics of the interaction of three members of the homologous series of 1-alkanols (ethanol, 1-butanol, and 1-hexanol) with Shaw2 K(+) channels in Xenopus oocyte inside-out patches. As expected for a second-order mechanism involving a receptor site, only the observed association rate constants were linearly dependent on the 1-alkanol concentration. While the alkyl chain length modestly influenced the dissociation rate constants (decreasing only approximately 2-fold between ethanol and 1-hexanol), the second-order association rate constants increased e-fold per carbon atom. Thus, hydrophobic interactions govern the probability of productive collisions at the 1-alkanol binding site, and short-range polar interactions help to stabilize the complex. We also examined the relationship between the energetics of 1-alkanol binding and the structural properties of the S4-S5 loop. Circular dichroism spectroscopy applied to peptides corresponding to the S4-S5 loop of various K(+) channels revealed a correlation between the apparent binding affinity of the 1-alkanol binding site and the alpha-helical propensity of the S4-S5 loop. The data suggest that amphiphilic interactions at the Shaw2 1-alkanol binding site depend on specific structural constraints in the pore-forming subunit of the channel.

Binding site stoichiometry and the effects of phosphorylation on human alpha1 homomeric glycine receptors

The kinetic properties of the human alpha1 homomeric glycine receptor were investigated. Receptors were expressed in HEK 293 cells, and glycine was applied to outside-out membrane patches with sub-millisecond solution exchange. The activation time course of the glycine response was used to investigate receptor stoichiometry. The unbinding of three strychnine molecules and the cooperative binding of two glycine molecules were required to activate the channel. The effects of phosphorylation on glycine receptor kinetics were investigated by pretreating cells with phosphorylators or with phosphatases. Phosphorylation accelerated desensitisation, but slowed deactivation and recovery from desensitisation. A chemical-kinetic model was developed that reproduced the experimental observations. The model suggests that only three binding sites on the glycine channel are functional, while the remaining two binding sites are 'silent', possibly due to strong negative cooperativity.

Desensitization of homomeric alpha1 glycine receptor increases with receptor density

Variations in the number of receptors at glycinergic synapses are now established and are believed to contribute to inhibitory synaptic plasticity. However, the relation between glycine receptor (GlyR) kinetics and density is still unclear. We used outside-out patch-clamp recordings and fast-flow application techniques to resolve fast homomeric GlyRalpha1 kinetics and to determine how the functional properties of these receptors depend on their density and on the presence of the anchoring protein gephyrin. The expression of GlyRs in human embryonic kidney cells increased with time and was correlated with an increase in GlyR desensitization at 2 days after transfection. Cotransfection of homomeric GlyRalpha1 bearing the gephyrin-binding site with gephyrin also increased desensitization but at 1 day after transfection compared with transfections of homomeric GlyRalpha1 without gephyrin. This increase results from the occurrence of a fast desensitization component and short applications of a saturating concentration of glycine suffice to promote a rapidly entered desensitized closed state. The level of desensitization changed neither the EC(50) value nor the Hill coefficient of the glycine dose-response curves because the amplitude of the current was measured at the peak of the responses. These results demonstrate that variations in GlyR density during cluster formation result from a change in GlyR efficiency due to modifications in their desensitization properties.

A simple method for focally delivering multiple drugs or ligands to cells

A simple venturi-based "spritzer" device is described that is capable of repeatedly and rapidly delivering small volumes of different solutions to cells or tissues. This is particularly advantageous in situations when the appropriate ligand or drug is not known a priori and has to be determined "on the fly" during the limited lifetime of a preparation. The utility of the device is demonstrated for applying odorants to olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs).

Fast kinetic analysis of ligand-gated ion channels

Ligand-gated ion channels mediate fast synaptic transmission in the central and peripheral nervous system and the neuromuscular junction. Their common principle of function is the conversion of a chemical signal--neurotransmitter binding--into an electrical signal, i.e., an ion influx into the postsynaptic cell. The transient nature of this signal requires experimental setups that provide adequate temporal resolution and the use of transient kinetic analysis rather than equilibrium methods for a correct description of receptor function. Although the highly specialized geometry of a synapse that allows very rapid delivery of neurotransmitter is difficult to mimic in an experimental system, a variety of techniques for rapid kinetic analysis are available, making it possible to determine at least some steps of receptor function with sufficient accuracy. This article provides an overview of strategies and methods of fast ligand application and kinetic analysis using whole-cell and single channel patch clamp.

High-affinity zinc potentiation of inhibitory postsynaptic glycinergic currents in the zebrafish hindbrain

Zinc has been reported to potentiate glycine receptors (GlyR), but the physiological significance of this observation has been put in doubt by the relatively high values of the EC(50), 0.5-1 microM, since such concentrations may not be attained in the synaptic cleft of glycinergic synapses. We have re-evaluated this observation in the frame of the hypothesis that contaminant heavy metals present in usual solutions may have lead to underestimate the affinity of the zinc binding site, and therefore to underestimate the potential physiological role of zinc. Using chelators either to complex heavy metals or to apply zinc at controlled concentrations, we have examined the action of zinc on GlyR kinetics in outside-out patches from 50-h-old zebrafish Mauthner cells. Chelating contaminating heavy metals with tricine or N,N,N',N'-tetrakis-(2-pyridylmethyl)-ethylenediamine (TPEN) decreased the duration of the currents evoked by glycine, confirming that traces of heavy metals alter the GlyR response in control conditions. Using tricine- (10 mM) buffered zinc solution, we then showed that zinc increases the amplitude of outside-out responses evoked by 0.1-0.5 mM glycine with an EC(50) of 15 nM. In contrast zinc had no effect on the amplitude of currents evoked by a saturating concentration (3-10 mM) of glycine. This suggests that zinc enhances GlyR apparent affinity for glycine. The study of the effects of zinc on the kinetics of the response indicates that this increase of apparent affinity is due to a decrease of the glycine dissociation rate constant. We then analyzed the effects of zinc on postsynaptic GlyRs in whole cell recordings of glycinergic miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs). Chelation of contaminant heavy metals decreased the amplitude and the duration of the mIPSCs; inverse effects were observed by adding zinc in buffered solutions containing nanomolar free zinc concentrations. Zinc plus tricine or tricine alone did not change the coefficient of variation ( approximately 0.85) of the mIPSC amplitude distributions. These results suggest that postsynaptic GlyRs are not saturated after the release of one vesicle.

Development of spontaneous glycinergic currents in the Mauthner neuron of the zebrafish embryo

We used whole cell and outside-out patch-clamp techniques with reticulospinal Mauthner neurons of zebrafish embryos to investigate the developmental changes in the properties of glycinergic synaptic currents in vivo from the onset of synaptogenesis. Miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) were isolated and recorded in the presence of TTX (1 microM), kynurenic acid (1 mM), and bicuculline (10 microM) and were found to be sensitive to strychnine (1 microM). The mIPSCs were first observed in 26-29 h postfertilization (hpf) embryos at a very low frequency of approximately 0.04 Hz, which increased to approximately 0.5 Hz by 30-40 hpf, and was approximately 10 Hz in newly hatched (>50 hpf) larvae, indicating an accelerated increase in synaptic activity. At all embryonic stages, the amplitudes of the mIPSCs were variable but their means were similar ( approximately 100 pA), suggesting rapid formation of the postsynaptic matrix. The 20-80% rise times of mIPSCs in embryos were longer (0.6-1.2 ms) than in larvae (approximately 0.3 ms), likely due to slower diffusion of glycine at the younger, immature synapses. The mIPSCs decayed with biexponential (tau(off1) and tau(off2)) time courses with a half-width in 26-29 hpf embryos that was longer and more variable than in older embryos and larvae. In 26- to 29-hpf embryos, tau(off1) was approximately 15 ms and tau(off2) was approximately 60 ms, representing events of intermediate duration; but occasionally long mIPSCs were observed in some cells where tau(off1) was approximately 40 ms and tau(off2) was approximately 160 ms. In 30-40 hpf embryos, the events were faster, with tau(off1) approximately 9 ms and tau(off2) approximately 40 ms, and in larvae, events declined somewhat further to tau(off1) approximately 4 ms and tau(off2) approximately 30 ms. Point-per-point amplitude histograms of the decay of synaptic events at all stages resulted in the detection of similar single channel conductances estimated as approximately 45 pS, indicating the presence of heteromeric glycine receptors (GlyRs) from the onset of synaptogenesis. Fast-flow (1 ms) application of a saturating concentration of glycine (3-10 mM) to outside-out patches obtained at 26-29 hpf revealed GlyR currents that decayed biexponentially with time constants resembling the values found for intermediate and long mIPSCs; by 30-40 hpf, the GlyR currents resembled fast mIPSCs. These observations indicate that channel kinetics limited the mIPSC duration. Our data suggest that glycinergic mIPSCs result from the activation of a mixture of fast and slow GlyR subtypes, the properties and proportion of which determine the decay of the synaptic events in the embryos.

Structural domains of the human GABAA receptor 3 subunit involved in the actions of pentobarbital

This study was conducted to search for the residues of the beta3 subunit which affect pentobarbital action on the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor. Three chimeras were constructed by joining the GABAA receptor beta3 subunit to the rho1 subunit. For each chimera, the N-terminal sequence was derived from the beta3 subunit and the C-terminal sequence from the rho1 subunit, with junctions located between the membrane-spanning regions M2 and M3, in the middle of M2, or in M1, respectively. In receptors obtained by the coexpression of alpha1 with the chimeric subunits, in contrast with those obtained by the coexpression of alpha1 and beta3, pentobarbital exhibited lower potentiation of GABA-evoked responses, and in the direct gating of Cl- currents, an increase in the EC50 together with a marked decrease in the relative maximal efficacy compared with that of GABA. Estimates of the channel opening probability through variance analysis and single-channel recordings of one chimeric subunit showed that the reduced relative efficacy for gating largely resulted from an increase in gating by GABA, with little change in efficacy of pentobarbital. A fit of the time course of the response by the predictions of a class of reaction schemes is consistent with the conclusion that the change in the concentration dependence of activation by pentobarbital is due to a change in pentobarbital affinity for the receptor. Therefore, the data suggest that residues of the beta3 subunit involved in pentobarbital binding to GABAA receptors are located downstream from the middle of the M2 region.

Evaluation of the number of agonist molecules needed to activate a ligand-gated channel from the current rising phase

We propose a new method for calculating the number of agonist binding sites (n) in ligand-gated receptor channels from the initial phase of the current. This method is based on the fact that the relation between the current (I) and its first-time derivative (I') at the beginning of the current reflects the number of transitions that lead to channel opening. We show that, for constant agonist concentration, the above relationship at t --> 0 provides the number of steps leading to channel opening. When the agonist concentration is not constant but rather increases linearly with time, the corresponding value can be obtained using a slightly modified procedure. The analytical results were compared with computer simulations and a good match between the two was obtained. The theoretical procedure was then validated experimentally using the nicotinic receptor, because, for this receptor, the number of binding sites is well established. Indeed, the expected number of two binding sites was obtained. The method was then tested for the quisqualate-type glutamate receptor channel from the opener muscle of crayfish. The number of this receptor's binding sites is not fully resolved. Our results suggest that, for this glutamate receptor as well, two binding sites must be occupied to open the channel.

Time course and temperature dependence of allethrin modulation of sodium channels in rat dorsal root ganglion cells

Key effects of the pyrethroid insecticide allethrin, delivered to or washed out from cells at 10 or 100 microM in 0.1% DMSO, on neuronal Na(+) channel currents were studied in rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells under whole-cell patch clamp. Tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) Na(+) channels were more responsive to allethrin than tetrodotoxin-sensitive (TTX-S) Na(+) channels. On application of 10 or 100 microM allethrin to cells with TTX-R Na(+) channels, the Na(+) tail current during repolarization developed a large slowly decaying component within 10 min. This slow tail developed multiphasically, suggesting that allethrin gains access to Na(+) channels by a multiorder process. On washout (with 0.1% DMSO present), the slow tail current disappeared monophasically (exponential tau=188+/-44 s). Development and washout rates did not depend systematically on temperature (12 degrees, 18 degrees, or 27 degrees C), but washout was slowed severely if DMSO was absent. As the duration of a depolarizing pulse was increased (range 0.32-10 ms), the amplitude of the slow component of the succeeding tail conductance first increased then decreased. Tail current amplitude had the same dependence on preceding pulse duration (at 18 degrees ) at 10 or 100 microM, consistent with allethrin modification of Na(+) channels at rest before opening. At 10 microM, slow tail conductance was at maximum 40% of the peak conductance during the previous depolarization, independent of temperature; evidently, the fraction of open modified channels did not change. However, at low temperature, the tail is more prolonged, bringing more Na(+) ions into a cell. In functioning neurons, this Na(+) influx would cause a larger depolarizing afterpotential, a condition favoring the repetitive discharges, which are signatory of pyrethroid intoxication.

Voltage dependence of the glycine receptor-channel kinetics in the zebrafish hindbrain

Electrophysiological recordings of outside-out patches to fast-flow applications of glycine were made on patches derived from the Mauthner cells of the 50-h-old zebrafish larva. As for glycinergic miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs), depolarizing the patch produced a broadening of the transient outside-out current evoked by short applications (1 ms) of a saturating concentration of glycine (3 mM). When the outside-out patch was depolarized from -50 to +20 mV, the peak current varied linearly with voltage. A 1-ms application of 3 mM glycine evoked currents that activated rapidly and deactivated biexponentially with time constants of approximately 5 and approximately 30 ms (holding potential of -50 mV). These two decay time constants were increased by depolarization. The fast deactivation time constant increased e-fold per 95 mV. The relative amplitude of the two decay components did not significantly vary with voltage. The fast component represented 64.2 +/- 2.8% of the total current at -50 mV and 54.1 +/- 10% at +20 mV. The 20-80% rise time of these responses did not show any voltage dependence, suggesting that the opening rate constant is insensitive to voltage. The 20-80% rise time was 0.2 ms at -70 mV and 0.22 ms at +20 mV. Responses evoked by 100-200 ms application of a low concentration of glycine (0.1 mM) had a biphasic rising phase reflecting the complex gating behavior of the glycine receptor. The time constant of these two components and their relative amplitude did not change with voltage, suggesting that modal shifts in the glycine-activated channel gating mode are not sensitive to the membrane potential. Using a Markov model to simulate glycine receptor gating behavior, we were able to mimic the voltage-dependent change in the deactivation time course of the responses evoked by 1-ms application of 3 mM glycine. This kinetics model incorporates voltage-dependent closing rate constants. It provides a good description of the time course of the onset of responses evoked by the application of a low concentration of glycine at all membrane potentials tested.

How fast does the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor channel open? Kinetic investigations in the microsecond time region using a laser-pulse photolysis technique

The gamma-aminobuytric acid(A) (GABA(A)) receptor is a membrane-bound protein that mediates signal transmission between neurons through formation of chloride ion channels. GABA is the activating ligand, which upon binding to the receptor triggers channel opening in the microsecond time domain and reversible desensitization of the receptor in the millisecond time region. We have investigated the channel-opening mechanism for this receptor in rat hippocampal neurons before the protein desensitizes by using a rapid flow method (cell-flow) with a 10 ms time resolution and a laser-pulse photolysis technique with a approximately 30 micros time resolution to determine the rate and equilibrium constants for channel opening and closing. Two different forms of the receptor, namely, a rapidly and a slowly desensitizing form, exist in the rat hippocampal cells and are characterized by their different rates for desensitization. At 250 microM GABA the rate constant for desensitization was 2.3 +/- 0.4 s(-)(1) for the rapidly desensitizing form and 0.4 +/- 0.1 s(-)(1) for the slowly desensitizing form. The dissociation constant of GABA from the site controlling channel opening was 100 +/- 40 microM for the rapidly desensitizing form and 120 +/- 60 microM for the slowly desensitizing form. The rate constants for channel closing did not differ significantly for the two forms, 85 +/- 20 s(-)(1) for the rapidly desensitizing and 100 +/- 60 s(-)(1) for the slowly desensitizing form. However, the channel-opening rate constant differed by a factor of 3, 1840 +/- 160 s(-)(1) for the rapidly desensitizing and 6700 +/- 330 s(-)(1) for the slowly desensitizing form. This difference in the rate constant for channel opening for the two forms, determined by the laser-pulse photolysis technique, is reflected as a shift in the channel-opening equilibrium constant, which is 7 +/- 5 and 20 +/- 15 for the rapidly and slowly desensitizing forms respectively, determined by the cell-flow method. These constants, together with the concentration of GABA and the concentration of receptor sites in the membrane, determine the number of channels that open as a function of GABA concentration, and the rate at which they open and close. These constants play an important role in determining the rate of the transmembrane ion flux and, therefore, the receptor-controlled changes in transmembrane voltage that trigger signal transmission.

Practical limits on the maximal speed of solution exchange for patch clamp experiments

Studying ligand-gated ion channels often requires the ability to change solutions quickly. Using finite element models, I have examined the practical limitations of how fast solutions can be exchanged on an outside-out patch using a dual stream switcher. The primary factors controlling the speed of response are the flow velocity, proximity of the patch to the exit ports, the width of the partition between the two streams, the velocity with which the streams can be moved across the patch, and the viscosity of the solutions. The practical limit seems to be a rise time of approximately 20 microseconds. The rate-limiting step is the velocity of the (usually piezo) motor that translates the streams across the patch. Increasing the perfusate viscosity improves speed by slowing dissipation of the concentration gradients. A flow switcher can also be used for bipolar temperature jumps with a rise time of approximately 100 microseconds.

The mechanism gated by external potassium and sodium controls the resting conductance in hippocampal and cortical neurons

The excitation of densely packed mammalian central neurons is followed by a substantial transitory elevation of external K+ concentration. This phenomenon may have a different functional significance depending on how the resting membrane conductance mechanisms react to the changes in the gradient of these ions. We have found that in the hippocampal and cortex neurons of rat a large fraction of the membrane conductance in the vicinity of the resting potential is provided by the K+ permeability mechanism which is gated by external K+ and Na+. The responses of acutely isolated pyramidal neurons to rapidly altered external [K+] were investigated using the whole-cell patch clamp and concentration clamp techniques. Elevation of [K+]out induced a biphasic inward current at membrane potentials more negative than the reversal potential for K+ ions. This current consisted of an "instantaneously" increased leakage component and a slowly activated current (tau = 48 ms at 21 degrees C) designated below as I(deltaK). The latter demonstrated a first order activation kinetics with a remarkably high Q10 = 7.31. I(deltaK) was absent in the peripheral sensory neurons as well as in the Purkinje neurons. Slow activation of I(deltaK) was critically dependent on [Na+]out: substitution of the extracellular Na+ with choline chloride or Li+ led to the "instantaneous" reaction of the membrane to the changes in [K+]out. By slowing down potassium influx, I(deltaK) may be of importance in preserving densely packed pyramidal neurons from immediate excitation following rapid increases in [K+]out.

Macroscopic and microscopic properties of a cloned glutamate transporter/chloride channel

The behavior of a Cl- channel associated with a glutamate transporter was studied using intracellular and patch recording techniques in Xenopus oocytes injected with human EAAT1 cRNA. Channels could be activated by application of glutamate to either face of excised membrane patches. The channel exhibited strong selectivity for amphipathic anions and had a minimum pore diameter of approximately 5A. Glutamate flux exhibited a much greater temperature dependence than Cl- flux. Stationary and nonstationary noise analysis was consistent with a sub-femtosiemen Cl- conductance and a maximum channel Po << 1. The glutamate binding rate was similar to estimates for receptor binding. After glutamate binding, channels activated rapidly followed by a relaxation phase. Differences in the macroscopic kinetics of channels activated by concentration jumps of L-glutamate or D-aspartate were correlated with differences in uptake kinetics, indicating a close correspondence of channel gating to state transitions in the transporter cycle.

A reluctant gating mode of glycine receptor channels determines the time course of inhibitory miniature synaptic events in zebrafish hindbrain neurons

Miniature IPSCs (mIPSCs) recorded in the Mauthner (M)-cell of zebrafish larvae have a broad amplitude distribution that is attributable only partly to the functional heterogeneity of postsynaptic glycine receptors (GlyRs). The role of the kinetic properties of GlyRs in amplitude fluctuation was investigated using fast-flow application techniques on outside-out patches. Short applications of a saturating glycine concentration evoked outside-out currents with a biphasic deactivation phase as observed for mIPSCs, and they were consistent with a rapid clearance of glycine from the synaptic cleft. Patch currents declined slowly during continuous applications of 3 mM glycine, but the biphasic deactivation phase of mIPSCs cannot reflect a desensitization process because paired-pulse desensitization was not observed. The maximum open probability (Po) of GlyRs was close to 0.9 with 3 mM glycine. Analyses of the onset of outside-out currents evoked by 0.1 mM glycine are consistent with the presence of two equivalent binding sites with a Kd of O.3-O.4 mM. Activation and deactivation properties of GlyRs were better described with a kinetic model, including two binding states, a doubly liganded open state, and a reluctant gating mode leading to another open state. The 20-80% rise time of mIPSCs was independent of their amplitude and is identical to that of outside-out currents evoked by the applications of a saturating concentration of glycine (>1 mM). These results support the hypothesis that GlyR kinetics determines the time course of synaptic events at M-cell inhibitory synapses and that large mIPSC amplitude fluctuations are mainly of postsynaptic origin.

The synaptic basis of GABAA,slow

Although two kinetically distinct evoked GABAA responses (GABAA,fast and GABAA,slow) have been observed in CA1 pyramidal neurons, studies of spontaneous IPSCs (sIPSCs) in these neurons have reported only a single population of events that resemble GABAA,fast in their rise and decay kinetics. The absence of slow sIPSCs calls into question the synaptic basis of GABAA,slow. We present evidence here that both evoked responses are synaptic in origin, because two classes of minimally evoked, spontaneous and miniature IPSCs exist that correspond to GABAA,fast and GABAA,slow. Slow sIPSCs occur infrequently, suggesting that the cells underlying these events have a low spontaneous firing rate, unlike the cells giving rise to fast sIPSCs. Like evoked GABAA,fast and GABAA,slow, fast and slow sIPSCs are modulated differentially by furosemide, a subtype-specific GABAA antagonist. Furosemide blocks fast IPSCs by acting directly on the postsynaptic receptors, because it reduces the amplitude of both miniature IPSCs and the responses of excised patches to applied GABA. Thus, in the hippocampus, parallel inhibitory circuits are composed of separate populations of interneurons that contact anatomically segregated and pharmacologically distinct postsynaptic receptors.

The channel opening rate of adult- and fetal-type mouse muscle nicotinic receptors activated by acetylcholine

1. In this paper, we examine acetylcholine (ACh)-induced currents in quail fibroblast cell lines expressing either the fetal (Q-F18) or the adult (Q-A33) complement of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits derived from mouse skeletal muscle. Pulses of ACh were applied to outside-out patches of cell membrane by means of a fast perfusion system at concentrations from 100 nM to 10 mM. We obtained current records with intracellular potentials of -60 and +40 mV. The goal of this study was to estimate the channel opening rate. 2. By fitting sums of exponentials to averaged responses, we estimated the rate of development of the current on the application of acetylcholine. The rate constant of the predominant exponential component (the on-rate) ranges over 3 orders of magnitude, from around 100 s-1 (fetal) at low concentrations ACh to over 100,000 s-1 (fetal and adult) at the highest concentrations. 3. We establish that our measurement of the on-rate is not limited by technical constraints, and can therefore be related to the rate constants of a kinetic scheme. Our observations are consistent with a model having a rate-limiting channel opening step with a forward rate constant (beta) of 80,000 s-1 on average for adult receptors and 60,000 s-1 for fetal receptors, and a minimum opening to closing ratio (beta/alpha) of around 33 (adult) or 50 (fetal). The channel opening rate, beta, varies from around 30,000 s-1 to well over 100,000 s-1 for different patches. The large variation cannot all be ascribed to errors of measurement, but indicates patch to patch variation.

Electrophysiology: a method to investigate the functional properties of ligand-gated channels

Ligand-gated channels (LGCs) play a fundamental role in the fast transmission of electrical activity from neuron to neuron and/or to effector cells. Studies of LGCs in isolation have become possible since the identification of genes coding for these membrane proteins together with the establishment of reconstitution techniques in host systems. Methods for electrophysiological investigations of LGCs reconstituted either in the Xenopus oocytes or stably tranfected in cell lines are discussed. Functional studies of reconstituted receptors enable fast determination of LGCs' pharmacological profiles and comparison of their physiological properties. Combination of molecular engineering with physiological measurements allows studies with unpreceeding resolution and it is now possible to examine at the amino-acid level the contribution of some residues in the formation of the ligand-binding site or the ionic channel domains.

Whole-cell and single-channel alpha1 beta1 gamma2S GABAA receptor currents elicited by a "multipuffer" drug application device

Pharmacological characterization of ion channels and receptors in cultured neurons or transfected cell lines requires microapplication of multiple drug solutions during electrophysiological recording. An ideal device could apply a large number of solutions to a limited area with rapid arrival and removal of drug solutions. We describe a novel "multipuffer" rapid application device, based on a modified T-tube with a nozzle made from a glass micropipette tip. Drug solutions are drawn via suction from open reservoirs mounted above the recording chamber through the device into a waste trap. Closure of a solenoid valve between the device and the waste trap causes flow of drug solution though the T-tube nozzle. Any number of drug solutions can be applied with rapid onset (50-100 ms) after a brief fixed delay (100-200 ms). Recombinant alpha1beta1gamma2S GABAA receptors (GABARs) transfected into L929 fibroblasts were recorded using whole-cell and single-channel configurations. Application of GABA resulted in chloride currents with an EC50 of 12.2 microM and a Hill slope of 1.27, suggesting more than one binding site for GABA. GABAR currents were enhanced by diazepam and pentobarbital and inhibited by bicuculline and picrotoxin. Single-channel recordings revealed a main conductance state of 26-28 pS. This device is particularly suitable for rapid, spatially controlled drug applications onto neurons or other cells recorded in the whole-cell configuration, but is also appropriate for isolated single-channel or multichannel membrane patch recordings.

Dependence of solution exchange time on cell or patch linear dimensions in concentration jump experiments using patch-clamped sensory neurones

A critical evaluation of "concentration jump" techniques employing hydrodynamic solution exchange has been undertaken. Data obtained from experiments using acutely isolated sensory neurones demonstrated a dependence of the total solution exchange time on the linear dimensions of the preparation. The exchange time around a circular surface is proportional to the radius of this surface. A quantitative approximation can be formulated as follows: if the membrane area of the object under investigation is increased n times, the duration of the full solution exchange is increased by radical n times. A nonlinear dependence of exchange time on vacuum pressure was confirmed in a separate set of experiments.

Fast local superfusion technique

A system for rapid, local superfusion of cultured neurones and their neurites with various different test drugs is elucidated. An area of down to 30 micron diameter was superfused with the aid of two micropipettes, one for delivering the test solution and the other for its removal. Active removal of solution within the deadspace of the delivery pipette guarantees, on the one hand, fast and flexible pressure control and, on the other, enables the quick exchange (<1 s) of multiple solutions. By increasing the pressure in the superfusion pipette, the laminar stream between the pipettes was forced down onto the cell layer. The change from bath to superfusion solutions, evaluated by liquid junction potential changes, occurs in the order of 1 ms.

Open channel block by physostigmine and procaine in embryonic-like nicotinic receptors of mouse muscle

Embryonic-like nicotinic channels were studied in mouse myotubes. Channel currents were measured by patch-clamping outside-out excised patches to which pulses of agonists and drugs could be applied by a liquid filament switch. The holding potential of the patches was generally around 40 mV. Pulses of 10(-4) M acetylcholine elicited average channel currents which reached a peak open probability, P(o,peak,) of 0.93 within 0.5 ms and decayed with a time constant of desensitization of 20-80 ms. When physostigmine (10(-5) to 10(-3) M) or procaine (3 x 10(-5) to 10(-3) M) was added to the acetylcholine pulses, a fast decay component of the current appeared which shortened to a time constant of 0.5 ms for the maximal drug concentrations. The fast decay was followed by a slow one which declined in amplitude with increasing concentrations of the drugs. After the end of pulses of 10 M acetylcholine plus 3 x 10(-4) M physostigmine the average current rose again, reaching a peak with approximately 5 ms delay, and then decayed slowly. The amplitude of this recovery current was approximately 0.4 P(o,peak) after 5 ms pulses and decreased with increasing pulse duration due to desensitization. The results can be quantitatively modelled based on a circular reaction scheme involving desensitization. Physostigmine and procaine bind to the open state to cause channel block. Also, the blocked channel was subject to desensitization. The rate constants of block were 6 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1) for physostigmine and 2 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1) for procaine, and the rate of unblocking was 200 s(-1) for both blockers (at -40 mV and 20 degrees C).

Identification of a high affinity divalent cation binding site near the entrance of the NMDA receptor channel

Single channel currents from recombinant N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors having an N-to-Q mutation in M2 reveal a divalent cation binding site that is near the entrance of the pore (approximately 0.2 through the electric field). Ca2+ rapidly binds to this site and readily permeates the channel, while Mg2+ binds more slowly and does not permeate as readily. In wild-type receptors, Mg2+ also blocks the current by occupying a site that is approximately 0.6 through the field. When the more external site is occupied by Ca2+, the conductance of the pore to NA+ is reduced but not abolished, perhaps by an electrostatic blocking mechanism. The site serves to enrich the fraction of NMDA receptor current carried by CA2+.

From ion currents to genomic analysis: recent advances in GABAA receptor research

The gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor represents an elementary switching mechanism integral to the functioning of the central nervous system and a locus for the action of many mood- and emotion-altering agents such as benzodiazepines, barbiturates, steroids, and alcohol. Anxiety, sleep disorders, and convulsive disorders have been effectively treated with therapeutic agents that enhance the action of GABA at the GABAA receptor or increase the concentration of GABA in nervous tissue. The GABAA receptor is a multimeric membrane-spanning ligand-gated ion channel that admits chloride upon binding of the neurotransmitter GABA and is modulated by many endogenous and therapeutically important agents. Since GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS, modulation of its response has profound implications for brain functioning. The GABAA receptor is virtually the only site of action for the centrally acting benzodiazepines, the most widely prescribed of the anti-anxiety medications. Increasing evidence points to an important role for GABA in epilepsy and various neuropsychiatric disorders. Recent advances in molecular biology and complementary information derived from pharmacology, biochemistry, electrophysiology, anatomy and cell biology, and behavior have led to a phenomenal growth in our understanding of the structure, function, regulation, and evolution of the GABAA receptor. Benzodiazepines, barbiturates, steroids, polyvalent cations, and ethanol act as positive or negative modulators of receptor function. The description of a receptor gene superfamily comprising the subunits of the GABAA, nicotinic acetylcholine, and glycine receptors has led to a new way of thinking about gene expression and receptor assembly in the nervous system. Seventeen genetically distinct subunit subtypes (alpha 1-alpha 6, beta 1-beta 4, gamma 1-gamma 4, delta, p1-p2) and alternatively spliced variants contribute to the molecular architecture of the GABAA receptor. Mysteriously, certain preferred combinations of subunits, most notably the alpha 1 beta 2 gamma 2 arrangement, are widely codistributed, while the expression of other subunits, such as beta 1 or alpha 6, is severely restricted to specific neurons in the hippocampal formation or cerebellar cortex. Nervous tissue has the capacity to exert control over receptor number, allosteric uncoupling, subunit mRNA levels, and posttranslational modifications through cellular signal transduction mechanisms under active investigation. The genomic organization of the GABAA receptor genes suggests that the present abundance of subtypes arose during evolution through the duplication and translocations of a primordial alpha-beta-gamma gene cluster. This review describes these varied aspects of GABAA receptor research with special emphasis on contemporary cellular and molecular discoveries.

The double-ticker: an improved fast drug-application system reveals desensitization of the glutamate channel from a closed state

The present study describes a modification of the fast drug-application technique (ticker) which combines two fast-application systems, 'the double-ticker'. With the double-ticker, drugs can be applied to excised patches from either one of the tickers permitting switching among three different solutions in the sub-millisecond range. We made use of this advantageous feature of the double-ticker to study two aspects of the glutamate receptor channel in crayfish muscle. The first concerns revealing the number of glutamate binding sites from measurements of a dose-response relation (2-3 sites). The other relates to the state from which the receptor undergoes desensitization. For the quisqualate-sensitive glutamate receptor desensitization occurs from a closed state. This is in addition to desensitization from an open state.

A novel method for incorporation of ion channels into a planar phospholipid bilayer which allows solution changes on a millisecond timescale

We have developed a method of rapidly changing the solutions on one side of a planar phospholipid bilayer. Bilayers can be painted on glass pipettes of tip diameter > or = 50 microns. By modifying an established method for rapid exchange of solutions bathing excised membrane patches, solution changes can be made at the bilayer within 10 ms. After incorporation of channels into the bilayer, the bilayer is moved into one of two parallel streams of solution flowing from a length of double-barrelled glass theta tubing. Activation of a solenoid system rapidly moves the theta tubing so that the bilayer is in the flow of the adjacent solution. For various reasons, the single-channel gating mechanisms of many channels are studied in planar bilayer systems. The conventional bilayer technique only allows for steady-state single-channel gating to be monitored. This novel method now allows the effects of rapid changes in modulators of channels incorporated into planar phospholipid bilayers to be measured.

Improved technique for studying ion channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes, including fast superfusion

The study of whole-cell currents from ion channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes with conventional two-electrode voltage clamp has two major limitations. First, the large diameter and spherical geometry of oocytes prevent extremely fast solution changes. Second, the internal medium is not controlled, which limits the experimental versatility of the oocyte expression system. For example, because the internal medium is not controlled, endogenous calcium-activated chloride conductances can contaminate currents measured with channels that are permeable to calcium. We describe a new technique that combines vaseline-gap voltage clamp for oocytes with a fast superfusion system. The vaseline-gap procedure is simplified by having the micropipette that monitors voltage serve a dual role as a perfusion micropipette that controls the internal solution. In addition, the technique provides fast external solution changes that are complete in 30-50 ms. We applied the approach to measure the calcium permeability of a muscle and a neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Very fast agonist induced currents were measured without contamination by the secondary activation of calcium-dependent chloride channels.

Multiphasic desensitization of the GABAA receptor in outside-out patches

GABAA receptor function was studied in outside-out patches from guinea pig hippocampal neurons using a drug application system with an exchange time of under 1.5 ms. Application of GABA to these patches induced a Cl- conductance that desensitized with prolonged exposure. Increasing GABA concentrations induced larger conductance increases that were associated with more complex patterns of desensitization. Smaller GABA responses desensitized with monophasic kinetics, whereas large responses displayed bi- and triphasic kinetics. Desensitization of the response to 1 mM GABA was triphasic in about 70% of the patches (tau = 15.4, 207, and 1370 ms) and biphasic in about 30% of the patches (tau = 44 and 725 ms). All phases of desensitization reversed at the Cl- equilibrium potential. Over the concentration range from 3 microM to 3 mM, both the rate and the extent of desensitization increased; however, complete desensitization was rarely observed. The increase in desensitization rate was due to an increase in the relative contribution of the faster phases with increasing GABA. The time constants of the three phases were independent of concentration. The different phases are not mediated by separate receptor populations, because double pulse experiments demonstrated interconversion among the fastest phase and the two slower phases. We demonstrate the plausibility of a model in which multiphasic desensitization is a consequence of the faster association rate at higher GABA concentrations.

A novel use of differential equations to fit exponential functions to experimental data

A procedure for fitting multi-exponential functions to experimental data is described. It is fast, requires no initial parameter estimates and is particularly suited to sums of several closely spaced exponentials. The method comprises the application of three well tried numerical techniques: (i) the signal is smoothed by representing it as an abbreviated Legendre series; (ii) the coefficients of a certain kind of differential equation are determined such that it's solution is the closest fit to the smoothed signal; and (iii) the amplitudes of the exponential components are determined, given the calculated values of the exponential rate constants. The method is computationally efficient, since determination of amplitudes and exponents involves the use of linear techniques, and therefore does not require multiple iterations, and the smoothed signal is contained in a handful of coefficients rather than as a lengthy time series. The severe ill-conditioning that is unavoidable in this problem is contained within the well-understood procedures of inverting a matrix and determining the roots of a polynomial. This method is particularly appropriate for analysis of data that may be modelled by a scheme of linked first-order reactions, describing for example the stochastic behaviour of ion channels, a chemical reaction, or the uptake and distribution of a drug within body compartments.

How quickly can GABAA receptors open?

We have examined GABAA receptor activation by making rapid applications of GABA to outside-out patches excised from cultured postnatal rat cerebellar neurons. The rate of development of current increases with increasing GABA concentration from a low to a high concentration asymptote. The low concentration asymptote is about 10 s-1 for patches taken from granule cells and 4 s-1 for patches from Purkinje cells. The high concentration asymptote is about 6000 s-1 for patches taken from either granule cells or Purkinje cells. The high concentration asymptote gives an estimate of the fastest rate at which these channels can open and indicates that agonist binding steps are not rate limiting. The concentration dependence of the development of current indicates that more than one GABA molecule is bound to most receptors with open channels and that the final binding step is of low affinity (about 500 microM). A comparison with GABA-mediated postsynaptic currents suggests that the properties of the GABAA receptor play a major role in determining the shape of inhibitory synaptic responses and that the cleft concentration of GABA reaches at least 500 microM.

Pressure-clamp technique for measurement of the relaxation kinetics of mechanosensitive channels

The pressure-clamp technique, used in conjunction with patch-clamp techniques, allows the application of precise pressure/suction waveforms to membrane patches and whole cells. Using step perturbations in pressure, it allows rapid relaxation measurements of the latency, turn-on, turn-off and adaptation kinetics of mechanosensitive membrane ion channels. The pressure-clamp technique also provides the ability to apply gentle and reproducible sealing protocols to establish tight seals and thereby minimize membrane-cytoskeleton disruption which can otherwise alter channel properties.