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, tum-on, tum-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.