Patchclamp Tower

The Patchclamp Tower is a mechanical stage for micro positioning in electrophysiological experiments. It allows for the localisation of an object (e.g. a tissue cultured cell) in the field of view of a high power inverted microscope and -independently- for the controlled movement of a recording electrode.

The Patchclamp Tower was developed for Patchclamp measurements on cultured cells. The chamber holder accepts conventional 35-mm culture dishes (the user's favourite brand of culture dishes should be specified) and allows cooling or heating of the preparation while incubation fluid is at rest. A specially designed tilting fork carries inlet and outlet tubing for chamber perfusion, a reference electrode and a temperature probe. Culture dishes can be conveniently exchanged after tilting of the fork.

The measuring pipette is mounted together with the amplifier head stage on a 3-dimensional piezoelectric translator. This, in turn, is fixed to a pivot, which allows an upwards tilt for easy exchange of pipettes. The piezo translator provides electrically controlled movement in three mutually orthogonal directions.

The prime requirement that a mechanical stage for electrophysiological measurements on single cells has to fulfil, concerns extreme stability with respect to relative motions between microelectrode and preparation. For this reason both chamber holder and micromanipulators are mounted on a rigid prism - completely separated from the microscope. Manipulators on the microscope such as focussing do not interfere. The chamber holder is designed so that high power objectives can be easily changed.

Standard 35-mm tissue culture dishes can be used. Alternatively, modified dishes with glass bottom insert are available for improved optics. They are cut to reduce height which allows better accessibility and better positioning of the collector. The Patchclamp Tower comes with two tilting forks which are used alternatively for the two types of chambers. Further accessories (optional) include various types of chambers, a vibration-damped base plate for mounting up to two prisms, an IM 35 inverted microscope, Faraday cage and electronic rack.

The Patchclamp Tower, following the original design from E. Neher and J. Fernandez, is not only an example but also a valued concept which has been in use and further developed over the past ten years. The two photos show the latest compact designs that have been reduced to a small and very efficient workstation.

Components (as original design from E. Neher and J. Fernandez; not as photo):

• Pivot-Manipulator Mini, motorized
• Pivot-Manipulator Piezo, manual with 3D-Piezo
• Chamber 1, temperature-controllable
• LN Unit MLM with the XY Sliding Clamp for securing onto an X95 Column
• Base-Plate 500, Bridge
• Further accessories