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Annecchino LA, Schultz SR. Progress in automating patch clamp cellular physiology. Brain Neurosci Adv 2018; 2:2398212818776561. [PMID: 32166142 PMCID: PMC7058203 DOI: 10.1177/2398212818776561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Patch clamp electrophysiology has transformed research in the life sciences over the last few decades. Since their inception, automatic patch clamp platforms have evolved considerably, demonstrating the capability to address both voltage- and ligand-gated channels, and showing the potential to play a pivotal role in drug discovery and biomedical research. Unfortunately, the cell suspension assays to which early systems were limited cannot recreate biologically relevant cellular environments, or capture higher order aspects of synaptic physiology and network dynamics. In vivo patch clamp electrophysiology has the potential to yield more biologically complex information and be especially useful in reverse engineering the molecular and cellular mechanisms of single-cell and network neuronal computation, while capturing important aspects of human disease mechanisms and possible therapeutic strategies. Unfortunately, it is a difficult procedure with a steep learning curve, which has restricted dissemination of the technique. Luckily, in vivo patch clamp electrophysiology seems particularly amenable to robotic automation. In this review, we document the development of automated patch clamp technology, from early systems based on multi-well plates through to automated planar-array platforms, and modern robotic platforms capable of performing two-photon targeted whole-cell electrophysiological recordings in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca A. Annecchino
- Centre for Neurotechnology and Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Simon R. Schultz
- Centre for Neurotechnology and Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
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VanDersarl JJ, Renaud P. Biomimetic surface patterning for long-term transmembrane access. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32485. [PMID: 27577519 PMCID: PMC5006161 DOI: 10.1038/srep32485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Here we present a planar patch clamp chip based on biomimetic cell membrane fusion. This architecture uses nanometer length-scale surface patterning to replicate the structure and function of membrane proteins, creating a gigaohm seal between the cell and a planar electrode array. The seal is generated passively during cell spreading, without the application of a vacuum to the cell surface. This interface can enable cell-attached and whole-cell recordings that are stable to 72 hours, and generates no visible damage to the cell. The electrodes can be very small (<5 μm) and closely packed, offering a high density platform for cellular measurement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jules J VanDersarl
- Microsystems Laboratory, EPFL-STI-IMT-LMIS4, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Renaud
- Microsystems Laboratory, EPFL-STI-IMT-LMIS4, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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Nagarah JM, Stowasser A, Parker RL, Asari H, Wagenaar DA. Optically transparent multi-suction electrode arrays. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:384. [PMID: 26539078 PMCID: PMC4611137 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Multielectrode arrays (MEAs) allow for acquisition of multisite electrophysiological activity with submillisecond temporal resolution from neural preparations. The signal to noise ratio from such arrays has recently been improved by substrate perforations that allow negative pressure to be applied to the tissue; however, such arrays are not optically transparent, limiting their potential to be combined with optical-based technologies. We present here multi-suction electrode arrays (MSEAs) in quartz that yield a substantial increase in the detected number of units and in signal to noise ratio from mouse cortico-hippocampal slices and mouse retina explants. This enables the visualization of stronger cross correlations between the firing rates of the various sources. Additionally, the MSEA's transparency allows us to record voltage sensitive dye activity from a leech ganglion with single neuron resolution using widefield microscopy simultaneously with the electrode array recordings. The combination of enhanced electrical signals and compatibility with optical-based technologies should make the MSEA a valuable tool for investigating neuronal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Nagarah
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA, USA
| | | | - Rell L Parker
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Hiroki Asari
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Daniel A Wagenaar
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA, USA ; Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Bruhn BR, Liu H, Schuhladen S, Hunt AJ, Mordovanakis A, Mayer M. Dual-pore glass chips for cell-attached single-channel recordings. LAB ON A CHIP 2014; 14:2410-7. [PMID: 24844315 PMCID: PMC4121072 DOI: 10.1039/c4lc00370e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
While high-throughput planar patch-clamp instruments are now established to perform whole-cell recordings for drug screening, the conventional micropipette-based approach remains the gold standard for performing cell-attached single-channel recordings. Generally, planar platforms are not well-suited for such studies due to excess noise resulting from low seal resistances and the use of substrates with poor dielectric properties. Since these platforms tend to use the same pore to position a cell by suction and establish a seal, biological debris from the cell suspension can contaminate the pore surface prior to seal formation, reducing the seal resistance. Here, femtosecond laser ablation was used to fabricate dual-pore glass chips optimized for use in cell-attached single-channel recordings that circumvent this problem by using different pores to position a cell and to establish a seal. This dual-pore design also permitted the use of a relatively small patch aperture (D ~ 150 to 300 nm) that is better-suited for establishing high-resistance seals than the micropores used typically in planar patch-clamp setups (D ~ 1 to 2 μm) without compromising the ability of the device to position a cell. Taking advantage of the high seal resistances and low capacitive and dielectric noise realized using glass substrates, patch-clamp experiments with these dual-pore chips consistently achieved high seal resistances (rate of gigaseal formation = 61%, mean seal resistance = 53 GΩ), maintained gigaseals for prolonged durations (up to 6 hours), achieved RMS noise values as low as 0.46 pA at 5 kHz bandwidth, and enabled single-channel recordings in the cell-attached configuration that are comparable to those obtained by conventional patch-clamp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon R Bruhn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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Bosca A, Martina M, Py C. Planar patch clamp for neuronal networks--considerations and future perspectives. Methods Mol Biol 2014; 1183:93-113. [PMID: 25023304 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-1096-0_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The patch-clamp technique is generally accepted as the gold standard for studying ion channel activity allowing investigators to either "clamp" membrane voltage and directly measure transmembrane currents through ion channels, or to passively monitor spontaneously occurring intracellular voltage oscillations. However, this resulting high information content comes at a price. The technique is labor-intensive and requires highly trained personnel and expensive equipment. This seriously limits its application as an interrogation tool for drug development. Patch-clamp chips have been developed in the last decade to overcome the tedious manipulations associated with the use of glass pipettes in conventional patch-clamp experiments. In this chapter, we describe some of the main materials and fabrication protocols that have been developed to date for the production of patch-clamp chips. We also present the concept of a patch-clamp chip array providing high resolution patch-clamp recordings from individual cells at multiple sites in a network of communicating neurons. On this chip, the neurons are aligned with the aperture-probes using chemical patterning. In the discussion we review the potential use of this technology for pharmaceutical assays, neuronal physiology and synaptic plasticity studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Bosca
- Italian Institute of Technology, Via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy,
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Stava E, Yu M, Shin HC, Shin H, Kreft DJ, Blick RH. Rapid fabrication and piezoelectric tuning of micro- and nanopores in single crystal quartz. LAB ON A CHIP 2013; 13:156-160. [PMID: 23142827 DOI: 10.1039/c2lc40925a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
We outline the fabrication of piezoelectric through-pores in crystalline quartz using a rapid micromachining process, and demonstrate piezoelectric deformation of the pore. The single-step fabrication technique combines ultraviolet (UV) laser irradiation with a thin layer of absorbing liquid in contact with the UV-transparent quartz chip. The effects of different liquid media are shown. We demonstrate that small exit pores, with diameters nearing the 193 nm laser wavelength and with a smooth periphery, can be achieved in 350 μm thick quartz wafers. Special crater features centring on the exit pores are also fabricated, and the depth of these craters are tuned. Moreover, by applying a voltage bias across the thickness of this piezoelectric wafer, we controllably contract and expand the pore diameter. We also provide a sample application of this device by piezoelectrically actuating alamethicin ion channels suspended over the deformable pore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Stava
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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Nagarah JM. Neurons on a chip - toward high throughput network and pharmacology investigations. Front Pharmacol 2011; 2:74. [PMID: 22131975 PMCID: PMC3222878 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2011.00074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2011] [Accepted: 11/06/2011] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- John Michael Nagarah
- Broad Fellows Program, Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA, USA
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Py C, Martina M, Diaz-Quijada GA, Luk CC, Martinez D, Denhoff MW, Charrier A, Comas T, Monette R, Krantis A, Syed NI, Mealing GAR. From understanding cellular function to novel drug discovery: the role of planar patch-clamp array chip technology. Front Pharmacol 2011; 2:51. [PMID: 22007170 PMCID: PMC3184600 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2011.00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2011] [Accepted: 09/05/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
All excitable cell functions rely upon ion channels that are embedded in their plasma membrane. Perturbations of ion channel structure or function result in pathologies ranging from cardiac dysfunction to neurodegenerative disorders. Consequently, to understand the functions of excitable cells and to remedy their pathophysiology, it is important to understand the ion channel functions under various experimental conditions - including exposure to novel drug targets. Glass pipette patch-clamp is the state of the art technique to monitor the intrinsic and synaptic properties of neurons. However, this technique is labor intensive and has low data throughput. Planar patch-clamp chips, integrated into automated systems, offer high throughputs but are limited to isolated cells from suspensions, thus limiting their use in modeling physiological function. These chips are therefore not most suitable for studies involving neuronal communication. Multielectrode arrays (MEAs), in contrast, have the ability to monitor network activity by measuring local field potentials from multiple extracellular sites, but specific ion channel activity is challenging to extract from these multiplexed signals. Here we describe a novel planar patch-clamp chip technology that enables the simultaneous high-resolution electrophysiological interrogation of individual neurons at multiple sites in synaptically connected neuronal networks, thereby combining the advantages of MEA and patch-clamp techniques. Each neuron can be probed through an aperture that connects to a dedicated subterranean microfluidic channel. Neurons growing in networks are aligned to the apertures by physisorbed or chemisorbed chemical cues. In this review, we describe the design and fabrication process of these chips, approaches to chemical patterning for cell placement, and present physiological data from cultured neuronal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Py
- Institute for Microstructural Sciences, National Research Council of CanadaOttawa, ON, Canada
| | - Marzia Martina
- Institute for Biological Sciences, National Research Council of CanadaOttawa, ON, Canada
| | - Gerardo A. Diaz-Quijada
- Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences, National Research Council of CanadaOttawa, ON, Canada
| | - Collin C. Luk
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of CalgaryCalgary, AB, Canada
| | - Dolores Martinez
- Institute for Microstructural Sciences, National Research Council of CanadaOttawa, ON, Canada
| | - Mike W. Denhoff
- Institute for Microstructural Sciences, National Research Council of CanadaOttawa, ON, Canada
| | - Anne Charrier
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Nanoscience de Marseille, Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueMarseille, France
| | - Tanya Comas
- Institute for Biological Sciences, National Research Council of CanadaOttawa, ON, Canada
| | - Robert Monette
- Institute for Biological Sciences, National Research Council of CanadaOttawa, ON, Canada
| | - Anthony Krantis
- Centre for Research in Biopharmaceuticals and Biotechnology. University of OttawaOttawa, ON, Canada
| | - Naweed I. Syed
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of CalgaryCalgary, AB, Canada
| | - Geoffrey A. R. Mealing
- Institute for Biological Sciences, National Research Council of CanadaOttawa, ON, Canada
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Real-time monitoring of cell viability using direct electrical measurement with a patch-clamp microchip. Biomed Microdevices 2011; 13:949-53. [DOI: 10.1007/s10544-011-9564-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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