Dw. Mcbride et Op. Hamill, PRESSURE-CLAMP TECHNIQUE FOR MEASUREMENT OF THE RELAXATION KINETICS OF MECHANOSENSITIVE CHANNELS, Trends in neurosciences, 16(9), 1993, pp. 341-345
The pressure-clamp technique, used in conjunction with patch-clamp tec
hniques, allows the application of precise pressure/suction waveforms
to membrane patches and whole cells. Using step perturbations in press
ure, it allows rapid relaxation measurements of the latency, tum-on, t
um-off and adaptation kinetics of mechanosensitive membrane ion channe
ls, The pressure-clamp technique also provides the ability to apply ge
ntle and reproducible sealing protocols to establish tight seals and t
hereby minimize membrane-cytoskeleton disruption which can otherwise a
lter channel properties.