Analysing Single-channel Currents > Single-channel Current Analysis
To analyse a single-channel current recordings, select
AnalysisSingle-channel Current Analysis
to open the window
.
The module is split into 5 pages each associated with a specific single-channel analysis operation.
· Amplitude Histograms: Provides tools for compiling and analysing the ion channel current amplitude distribution.
· Transition Detection: Provides tools for the detection of channel open/close transitions and the determination of the sequence of channel dwell times spent in each state.
· Edit Channel States: Provides an editor for visually inspecting each detected state, and rejecting artefacts from the analysis.
· Dwell Time Histograms: Provides tools for compiling and analysing histograms of the distribution of the channel open and closed times determined by the transition detection process.
· Stability Plots: Provides tools for determining whether the recording satisfies the necessary stationarity conditions for a valid analysis.
A typical single-channel analysis sequence is as follows:
1. Current amplitude histograms are computed to determine the single-channel current/conductance, number of channels in the patch, and the steady-state probability of a channel being open.
2. Once the single-channel current has been established, the transition detection procedure is used to determine the location of channel open/close transitions and the channel dwell times spent in each state.
3. Dwell time histograms are then be computed and exponential probability density functions fitted to determine the number and mean duration of channel open and closed states.
A detailed discussion of single-channel analysis techniques can be found in Sakmann & Neher (1995) or Ogden (1994).