Internal Solution Kits for Faster, More Reproducible Patch Clamp Electrophysiology
★ Introduction ★ Benefits ★ Customer Comments ★ Product Range ★ How to Use ★ References
Electrophysiology internal solutions are essential for reliable patch clamp recordings, directly influencing cell stability, signal quality, and experimental reproducibility. However, preparing internal solutions manually is time-consuming and prone to variability, particularly when weighing small quantities of multiple components.
Our electrophysiology internal solution kits are designed to eliminate these issues, providing pre-formulated, precision-weighed powders for fast, consistent preparation of patch clamp internal solutions. This reduces preparation time and variability, allowing you to focus on recording high-quality data rather than manual solution preparation.
Why Scientists Are Switching to No-Weigh Internal Solution Kits
Preparing internal solutions from scratch is a notoriously time-consuming and error-prone necessity of electrophysiology. Hello Bio Instant Packets eliminate the variability of manual buffer preparation, returning hours of time back to your research.
Traditional Manual Preparation
- Sourcing, ordering, and tracking expiry dates for 6+ individual salts.
- Weighing small quantities of hygroscopic chemicals.
- High risk of human error and batch-to-batch inconsistency.
- High reagent waste due to buying salts in bulk to use only milligrams.
The Hello Bio Instant Kit
- Everything you need in one highly stable, pre-weighed packet + matched hydroxide solution.
- Zero weighing required - just add dH2O.
- Expertly validated formulations for consistent, publication quality results.
- Includes matched 5M hydroxide for rapid pH adjustment.
What are customers saying about Hello Bio Electrophysiology products?
Researchers trust Hello Bio to provide products for patch-clamp experiments that enable stable, high-quality recordings:
As a frequent user in patch-clamp electrophysiology, I appreciate the consistent high quality of this Cs-Gluconate for preparing intracellular solutions. It performs well to achieve stable recordings during voltage-clamp experiments.
We prepared a variety of Cesium Gluconate-based intracellular solutions to record excitatory synaptic currents from brain slices using whole-cell patch clamp. All solutions prepared using the Hello Bio Cesium Gluconate performed exactly as expected.
Cesium vs Potassium Internal Solutions: Which Should You Use?
The composition of an internal solution is critical, as it directly influences membrane potential, ion channel activity, and overall recording stability. The choice between potassium- and cesium-based internal solutions depends on your experimental goals, particularly whether you are performing current-clamp or voltage-clamp recordings:
- Potassium-based internal solutions (K+) are typically used when preserving a more physiological intracellular environment is important. These formulations support more natural membrane properties and are well suited to current-clamp (Iclamp) experiments, including measurements of resting membrane potential, action potential firing, and synaptic plasticity.
- Cesium-based internal solutions (Cs+) are used when the goal is to isolate specific ionic currents under voltage clamp (Vclamp). Cesium ions block many potassium channels, allowing for more accurate measurement of synaptic currents, such as AMPA and NMDA receptor-mediated responses, as well as miniature EPSCs and IPSCs. QX-314 can be adittionally included in Cs+ based solutions to block action potentials, allowing cleaner analysis of synaptic events.
Choosing the Best Electrophysiology Internal Solution Kit for Your Protocol
Choose the ideal kit for your electrophysiology protocol. Our internal solutions are expertly formulated and quality controlled to ensure the reliable performance and reproducibility necessary for high-quality ex-vivo recordings.
| Product Name | Primary Cation | Key Features | Example Applications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potassium methanesulfonate (KMeSO3) Cat No: HB8727 |
K+ |
Standard physiological potassium-based internal formulation Effective physiological alternative to cesium based intracellular solutions Contains (in mM): KMeSO3 120, HEPES 10, EGTA 0.2, Mg-ATP 4, Na-GTP 0.3, NaCl 8, KCl 10 |
Current clamp, STP/LTP measurements. |  |
| Potassium gluconate (K-Gluc) Cat No: HB8297 |
K+ |
Physiological formulation utilizing gluconate anion. Features increased buffering capacity with 40mM HEPES Contains (in mM): K-Glu 120, HEPES 40, EGTA 0.2, Mg-ATP 2, Na-GTP 0.3, NaCl 2, KCl 10, MgCl2 1 |
Current clamp, neuronal firing patterns. |  |
| Cesium methanesulfonate (CsMeSO3) Cat No: HB7783 |
Cs+ |
Effectively blocks K+ channels for tigher voltage clamp than potassium based solutions. Contains (in mM): CsMeSO3 130, HEPES 10, EGTA 0.5, Mg-ATP 4, Na-GTP 0.3, NaCl 8 |
Voltage clamp, miniEPSC / mini IPSC recordings. |  |
| CsMeSO3 with QX-314 Cat No: HB31291 |
Cs+ |
Includes QX-314 and Spermine to block Na+ currents (alongside Cs+ blocking K+ currents) allowing full isolation of synaptic currents. Contains (in mM): CsMeSO3 130, HEPES 10, EGTA 0.5, Mg-ATP 4, Na-GTP 0.3, NaCl 8, QX314 5, Spermine 0.1 |
Isolating AMPA/NMDA receptor mediated currents. |  |
| Cesium Gluconate (Cs-Gluc) Cat No: HB8198 |
Cs+ |
Blocks K+ channels utilizing gluconate anion. Contains (in mM): Cs-Glu 117, HEPES 20, EGTA 0.4, Mg-ATP 4, Na-GTP 0.3, NaCl 2.8, TEA 5 |
Voltage clamp recordings. |  |
How to Prepare Patch-Clamp Internal Solutions with No-Weigh Kits
Create 80-100mL of precise internal solution in four simple steps.
Dissolve the included KOH or CsOH in dH2O to create a 5M solution.
Empty the internal solution powder into 70mL of dH2O and mix thoroughly.
Add hydroxide dropwise to reach pH 7.2, then top up with dH2O to hit your target osmolarity.
Divide into daily aliquots and store at -20°C. Thaw only what you need for the day's recordings.
References
- Banks et al., 2021. Plasticity in Prefrontal Cortex Induced by Coordinated Synaptic Transmission Arising from Reuniens/Rhomboid Nuclei and Hippocampus. Cereb Cortex Commun. PMID: 34296174
- Buchanan et al., 2010. Facilitation of long-term potentiation by muscarinic M(1) receptors is mediated by inhibition of SK channels. Neuron. PMID: 21145007
- Park et al., 2021. PKA drives an increase in AMPA receptor unitary conductance during LTP in the hippocampus. Nat Commun. PMID: 33462202
- Segev et al., 2016. Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recordings in Brain Slices. J Vis Exp. PMID: 27341060