ABSTRACT
A single cell in vitro is a common object of electrophysiological investigations. Isolated from its environment and maintained under tightly controlled experimental conditions, a single-cell preparation reveals intrinsic excitability properties of the cell membrane. Following methodology introduced by Hodgkin and Huxley [1], most studies are performed under conditions of spatial clamp, during which the cell membrane or a portion of it is exposed to spatially uniform electrical conditions. This methodology allows measurements of temporal changes in membrane currents and, combined with the use of channel-blocking drugs or specially designed voltage clamp protocols, reveals the underlying kinetics of ionic currents responsible for the membrane excitability. These types of studies lead to quantitative models of the membrane kinetics (see Ch. 1, 2).
