Getting Started > Amplifiers > DCLAMP - Dynamic Clamp
WinEDR supports the Strathclyde Electrophysiology Software DCLAMP dynamic clamp based on the National Instruments cRIO-9076 Real Time Controller. The dynamic clamp permits the addition or subtraction of a simulated voltage- and time-dependent ionic conductance to/from a patch-clamped cell in current-clamp mode. A Hodgkin-Huxley voltage-dependent ionic current is simulated with bi-exponential decay kinetics.
Select Setup->DCLAMP Dynamic Clamp to open the dynamic clamp control panel.
Com Port: Selects the serial port used to communicate with the cRIO-9076 controller.
Reversal Potential: The reversal potential of the simulated ionic current is defined in the Reversal Potential (Vrev) field.
Current Command Scale Factor: The current command scaling factor (Amps/Volt) of the patch clamp is entered into Current Command Scale Factor field.
Enable Inhibit Input (AI2): Tick this option to enable inhibition of the simulated current in real time by a 5V signal applied to the AI2 input of the cRIO-9076 controller.
Conductance: Select the Add option to add the simulated current to the cell, Subtract to subtract it and Off to disable the conductance.
Max Conductance (Gmax): The maximum conductance (nS) of the simulated conductance is defined in the Initial Conductance field. Select the Fixed option to keep the conductance fixed at this value. Select the Steps option to increment the conductance by Step Size after a series of No. Repeats recording sweeps for a total of No. Steps. After No, Steps increments Gmax returns to the initial value.
Activation Parameter (m)
Defines the dependence of steady-state and time constant of the conductance activation parameter (m) on membrane potential.
Inactivation Parameter (h)
Defines the dependence of steady-state and time constant of the conductance activation parameter (h) on membrane potential. Fast and slow kinetics are defined and the ration of fast to slow kinetics by the Fast Fraction field.
Load/Save Settings: Click the Save Settings button to save the dynamic clamp conductance settings to a .DCS settings file. Click the Load Settings button to load settings from a .DCS file.
Update Dynamic Clamp: Updates dynamic clamp with current settings.
Note. Contain [email protected] for details of the cRIO-9076 hardware and firmware required to implement DCLAMP.