Patch-Pipette Recordings from the Soma, Dendrites, and Axon of Neurons in Brain Slices

The brain-slice technique (Yamamoto and McIlwain, 1966; Andersen et al., 1972; Alger et al., 1984) has greatly facilitated the investigation of the electrical properties of neurons and the analysis of synaptic transmission between neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). This is because in brain slices neurons remain healthy, and their connections are preserved to a certain extent while at the same time technical problems encountered in in vivo experiments, such as mechanical instability and difficulties in modifying the extracellular environment, are overcome. To combine the brain-slice technique with the power of the patch-clamp technique therefore offers many advantages.