B10 Platform
Electrophysiology Core Facility
The B10 set-up consists of a HEKA EPC10 double patch-clamp amplifier, an Olympus BX51WI microscope with multi-channel fluorescence capability and differential interference contrast for live imaging and optical manipulation of cells (e.g. optogenetics and calcium imaging), and a Hamamatsu C11440-10C camera. This set-up is also equipped with a Multichannel Systems 60-electrode microelectrode array (MEA) platform for extracellular recordings from cell cultures and tissue preparations.
In addition, the facility provides access to a 3Brain high-density MEA system (BioCAM DupleX), located on A11, for high-resolution mapping of network activity. Located on B10 inside the cell culture laboratory, this set-up is ideal for, but not restricted to, investigations of in vitro generated and expanded cell lines and cultures.
Major applications this platform offers:
Patch clamp recording in vitro (cell cultures) and, to some extent, ex vivo (tissue preparations) to study intrinsic electrical properties of single cells, such as resting membrane potential, membrane resistance, action potential parameters, presence and function of various channels and receptors as well as synaptic connectivity, and to identify, characterize and quantify synaptic transmission. Our main focus is neural lineage (e.g. neurons and astrocytes), but other cell types can also be recorded (e.g. cardiomyocytes, β cells).
Extracellular field potential recordings, spontaneous or evoked, to study general network activity, or synaptic plasticity ex vivo in brain tissue preparations (predominantly in hippocampus – LTP, LTD).
Optogenetic manipulation of cell function to study, e.g. synaptic profile of isolated populations of the cells in cell cultures and tissue preparations.
Optical imaging of live cells in cultures and tissue preparations to monitor intracellular Ca2+ fluctuations and to identify population of interest.
The Multichannel Systems 60-electrode MEA setup provides robust, versatile recordings of network activity and extracellular field potentials using standard MEA chips, and is well suited for neuronal and cardiac cultures as well as slice preparations.
The 3Brain high-density MEA system (BioCAM DupleX) enables higher-resolution mapping of electrical activity with increased spatial detail, supporting advanced network analysis in cultures and complex models such as organoids and tissue slices.