title: Micromolded PDMS planar electrode allows patch clamp electrical recordings from cells.
abstract: The patch clamp method measures membrane currents at very high resolution when a high-resistance 'gigaseal' is established between the glass microelectrode and the cell membrane (Pflugers Arch. 391 (1981) 85; Neuron 8 (1992) 605). Here we describe the first use of the silicone elastomer, poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), for patch clamp electrodes. PDMS is an attractive material for patch clamp recordings. It has low dielectric loss and can be micromolded (Annu. Rev. Mat. Sci. 28 (1998) 153) into a shape that mimics the tip of the glass micropipette. Also, the surface chemistry of PDMS may be altered to mimic the hydrophilic nature of glass (J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 14 (1970) 2499; Annu. Rev. Mat. Sci. 28 (1998) 153), thereby allowing a high-resistance seal to a cell membrane. We present a planar electrode geometry consisting of a PDMS partition with a small aperture sealed between electrode and bath chambers. We demonstrate that a planar PDMS patch electrode, after oxidation of the elastomeric surface, permits patch clamp recording on Xenopus oocytes. Our results indicate the potential for high-throughput patch clamp recording with a planar array of PDMS electrodes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, School of Medicine, Yale University, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Klemic
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Klemic
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Fred J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Sigworth
mesh_terms: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D017097:Electric Impedance; D004867:Equipment Design; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008839:Microelectrodes; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D051637:Shaker Superfamily of Potassium Channels; D012828:Silicones / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D015221:Potassium Channels; D051637:Shaker Superfamily of Potassium Channels; D012828:Silicones; C013830:baysilon