A method for bidirectional solution exchange--"liquid bullet" applications of acetylcholine to α7 nicotinic receptors

Journal of Neuroscience Methods
Nikolai FedorovMerouane Bencherif

Abstract

Fast solution exchange techniques have revolutionized the study of synaptic transmission and promise to remain an important neuroscience research tool. Here we provide evidence for the hypothesis that using continuous, rapid transitions through an agonist solution can significantly increase the exchange rate around a cell by reducing the diffusion boundary at the membrane. This novel approach of rapid solution exchange during whole-cell recordings--described as a "liquid bullet" (LB) application--takes advantage of a bidirectional solution flow around the cell, allowing for a full solution exchange within a range of several milliseconds. An exchange rate (10-90% rise time) of about 2 ms could be achieved during both agonist application and washout. We recorded whole-cell currents from cells expressing the rapidly desensitizing α7 neuronal nicotinic receptor (NNR) subtype that exhibited very fast rise times of around 4-5 ms. We further demonstrated the advantages of a LB application over conventional methods by the ability of this method to elicit concentration-dependent responses for rapidly desensitizing compounds that were not measurable with conventional agonist applications. In addition, we illustrate the utility of this ap...Continue Reading

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Jul 29, 2008·Neuropharmacology·Graham L CollingridgeMichael Spedding
Oct 30, 2008·The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics·Nikolai B FedorovMerouane Bencherif
Jun 2, 2009·Journal of Neuroscience Methods·Serguei S SidachMerouane Bencherif
May 10, 2011·Journal of Neuroscience Methods·Pragya KomalRaad Nashmi

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Citations

Feb 4, 2014·Neuropharmacology·Krisztina PestiE Sylvester Vizi
Jan 16, 2015·Journal of Neurophysiology·Tristan Hedrick, Jack Waters
Dec 4, 2013·Analytical Chemistry·Ya-Yu ChiangJonathan West

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