ABSTRACT
Electrophysiology is a technique for measuring currents through membranes. Because lipid membranes are impermeable to charged species, currents cannot result from simple diffusion but instead require the presence of ion channel proteins in the membrane. Electrophysiology is a mainstay of biophysics; some may argue that it is what made biophysics exist. The variable nature of ion channels in real cells is a two-edged sword; it can produce unexpected and apparently strange behavior in cells, but it also provides additional variables for an experimenter to work with in deciphering the function of cellular apparatus. There are two main techniques in electrophysiology for exploring the electrical properties of cells and the behavior of ion channels in vitro: patch clamping and lipid bilayer recording. In any type of electrophysiology, some thought needs to go into formulating the composition of the electrolyte solutions on either side of the membrane.
