ABSTRACT
Signal analysis involves the derivation of the signal statistics which can be used to test hypotheses about how channels work or their role in cell function. Analysis of ion channel signals spans a wide range of complexity. This chapter deals with some of the most basic and commonly used methods for describing ion channel signals. Analog signals are converted to a series of data points by sampling the signal at discrete, equally spaced time intervals with an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) under the control of a computer. ADCs commonly used to sample ion channel recordings convert the signal into a 12-bit binary code. The most popular method for visualizing current levels from a channel signal is the all-points amplitude histogram. Frequency histograms of open and closed duration provide clues to the mechanisms responsible for opening and closing ion channels.
