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Patch-clamp recordings on rat cardiac muscle slices

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  • Excitable Tissues and Central Nervous Physiology
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Abstract

Thin slices (100–200 μm) from cardiac ventricles of newborn (1–14 days old) rats were used for patch-clamp recordings. High resistance seals (>10 GOhms) could be obtained on this preparation without enzymatic treatment of tissue. Resting potential for cardiac fibres, measured in whole-cell configuration, ranged between −30 and −65 mV. Averaged sodium currents and inward rectifying potassium single-channel currents, recorded in cell-attached mode, displayed similar features to those previously reported for isolated rat ventricular cells. Application of patch-clamp techniques to cardiac slices allows single-channel recordings without complicated procedures of cell isolation. Moreover, possible alteration of channel properties caused by proteolytic enzymes can be avoided. This technique provides a new tool for studying electrophysiological properties of heart cells in situ.

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Burnashev, N.A., Edwards, F.A. & Verkhratsky, A.N. Patch-clamp recordings on rat cardiac muscle slices. Pflugers Arch. 417, 123–125 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00370782

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00370782

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