Computer modeling of whole-cell voltage-clamp analyses to delineate guidelines for good practice of manual and automated patch-clamp

The patch-clamp technique has contributed to major advances in the characterization of ion channels. The recent development of high throughput patch-clamp provides a new momentum to the field. However, whole-cell voltage-clamp technique presents certain limits that need to be considered for robust data generation. One major caveat is that current amplitude profoundly impacts the precision of the analyzed characteristics of the ion current under study. For voltagegated channels, the higher the current amplitude is, the less precise the characteristics of voltagedependence are. Similarly, in ion channel pharmacology, the characteristics of dose-response curves are hindered by high current amplitudes. In addition, the recent development of high throughput patch-clamp technique is often associated with the generation of stable cell lines demonstrating high current amplitudes. It is therefore critical to set the limits for current amplitude recordings to avoid inaccuracy in the characterization of channel properties or drug actions, such limits being different from one channel to another. In the present study, we use kinetic models of a voltage-gated sodium channel and a voltage-gated potassium channel to edict simple guidelines for good practice of whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings.