title: Studying the mechanosensitivity of voltage-gated channels using oocyte patches.
abstract: The mechanosensitivity of voltage-gated (VG) channels is of biophysical, physiological. and pathophysiological interest. Xenopus oocytes offer a critical advantage for investigating the electrophysiology of recombinant VG channels subjected to membrane stretch, namely, the ability to monitor macroscopic current from membrane patches. High-density channel expression in oocytes makes for macroscopic current in conventional-size, mechanically sturdy patches. With the patch configuration, precisely the same membrane that is voltage-clamped is the membrane subjected to on-off stretch stimuli. With patches, meaningful stretch dose responses are possible. Experimental design should facilitate within-patch comparisons wherever possible. The mechanoresponses of some VG channels depend critically on patch history. Methods for minimizing and coping with interference from endogenous voltage-dependent and stretch-activated endogenous channels are described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Catherine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Peter F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Juranka
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Terence J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Laitko
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000502:physiology*; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000502:physiology*; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000502:physiology; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D014981:Xenopus