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Course BMED358

Cellular Neurophysiology - Ion Channels and Membrane Excitability

Course offered :

Current programmes of study

Number of credits 5
Course offered (semester) Spring
Subject overlap HUB315
Schedule Schedule
Reading list Reading list

Language of Instruction

English

Pre-requirements

Biology, molecular biology or equivalent on bachelor level, preferably completed with a degree.

Learning Outcomes

After completion the course, the student should be able to:

1) Elaborate on and discuss fundamental aspects related to the electrical properties of cell membranes.

2) Elaborate on basic properties related to classification of ligand- and voltage-gated ion channels.

3) Elaborate on fundamental principles of electrophysiological recording from single cells, with special emphasis on the different configurations of the patch-clamp technique and their application to different preparations.

4) Elaborate on essential principles with respect to the operational characteristics of a patch-clamp amplifier and how it can be used for voltage-clamp recordings.

5) Explain and apply electrical circuit analysis of a whole-cell recording and how it can be used to determine functionally important circuit parameters.

6) Explain the main components and their use in a standard electrophysiological setup based on the patch-clamp technique.

7) Explain and apply the basic principles employed in analysis of electrophysiological data.

8) Analyze simple types of experimental data based on voltage-clamp recording with a patch-clamp amplifier.

Contact Information

Department of Biomedicine

studie@biomed.uib.no

(+47) 55 58 64 39 / 55 58 64 40 / 55 58 60 95

 

Course coordinator:

Espen Hartveit, http://uib.no/persons/Espen.Hartveit

Course offered (semester)

Spring

Language of Instruction

English

Aim and Content

The course deals with theory, methodology, experimental techniques and experimental design in relation to the investigation of functional properties of voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels. The course will focus on ion channels in neurons, but the experimental methodes are currently used on many different types of cells and tissues, including permanent cell lines, acutely isolated celles, in vitro slices of tissue and intact organisms.

Thematic overview:

  • Ion channels and membrane excitability
  • Pach-clamp recording
  • Data-aqusition: hardware and software
  • Data analysis
  • Experimental design
  • Practical laboratory exercises where students will record the activity of voltage-gated ion channels by the patch-clamp technique.

The aim is to give the student a theoretical and practical basis for understanding and investigating membrane excitability and functional properties of ion channels.

Learning Outcomes

After completion the course, the student should be able to:

1) Elaborate on and discuss fundamental aspects related to the electrical properties of cell membranes.

2) Elaborate on basic properties related to classification of ligand- and voltage-gated ion channels.

3) Elaborate on fundamental principles of electrophysiological recording from single cells, with special emphasis on the different configurations of the patch-clamp technique and their application to different preparations.

4) Elaborate on essential principles with respect to the operational characteristics of a patch-clamp amplifier and how it can be used for voltage-clamp recordings.

5) Explain and apply electrical circuit analysis of a whole-cell recording and how it can be used to determine functionally important circuit parameters.

6) Explain the main components and their use in a standard electrophysiological setup based on the patch-clamp technique.

7) Explain and apply the basic principles employed in analysis of electrophysiological data.

8) Analyze simple types of experimental data based on voltage-clamp recording with a patch-clamp amplifier.

Pre-requirements

Biology, molecular biology or equivalent on bachelor level, preferably completed with a degree.

Subject Overlap

HUB315

Teaching Methods

Lectures i small groups, practical demonstrations and laboratory work, analysis of experimental data on computers.

Assessment methods

Journal written during course and a written home exam.

Grading Scale

A-F

Course Unit Evaluation

Written evaluation on My Space/Mi side.

Contact Information

Department of Biomedicine

studie@biomed.uib.no

(+47) 55 58 64 39 / 55 58 64 40 / 55 58 60 95

 

Course coordinator:

Espen Hartveit, http://uib.no/persons/Espen.Hartveit