How to make calcium-sensitive microelectrodes

Ca(2+)-sensitive microelectrodes (CaSMs) directly measure the pCa at their tip, which can be in a small extracellular space or inside a large and robust cell. They do not add to buffering and do not require expensive equipment. But they are time-consuming to make, require a reference electrode in th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCold Spring Harbor protocols Vol. 2013; no. 4; p. 374
Main Authors Thomas, Roger C, Bers, Donald M
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.04.2013
Subjects
Calcium - analysis
Ion-Selective Electrodes
Microelectrodes
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Summary:Ca(2+)-sensitive microelectrodes (CaSMs) directly measure the pCa at their tip, which can be in a small extracellular space or inside a large and robust cell. They do not add to buffering and do not require expensive equipment. But they are time-consuming to make, require a reference electrode in the same location, and tend to create a leak around the point of insertion. In addition, CaSMs only work well with a tip diameter of >1 μm. In this protocol, we describe how to make and use the electrodes and briefly consider possible problems.
ISSN:1559-6095
DOI:10.1101/pdb.prot072868