Patch-clamp measurements of elementary chloride currents activated by the putative inhibitory transmitter GABA and glycine in mammalian spinal neurons.
Methods for measuring whole-cell and unitary Cl- currents in the soma membrane of cultured spinal cord neurons by the patch-clamp technique are described. To separate single channel Cl- currents activated by the two putative inhibitory transmitters GABA and glycine from other membrane currents, isotonic KCl pipette solutions are used for measurements on "cell-attached" membrane patches. To isolate unitary Cl- currents in "cell-free" membrane patches, symmetrical, isotonic Tris Cl- solutions are used in both the pipette and the bath. Single Cl- channels are opened following binding of two agonist molecules to their respective receptors. The gating behavior of single receptor-channel complexes is described in terms of the activation and desensitization mechanism suggested originally by del Castillo and Katz (1957) and Katz and Thesleff (1957).
D000818:Animals; D002712:Chlorides / Q000378:metabolism*; D005998:Glycine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014325:Tromethamine; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
D002712:Chlorides; D007473:Ion Channels; D014325:Tromethamine; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D005998:Glycine