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Membrane Capacitance Measurements of Stimulus-Evoked Exocytosis in Adrenal Chromaffin Cells

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Chromaffin Cells

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2565))

Abstract

Research using membrane capacitance (Cm) measurements in adrenal chromaffin cells has transformed our understanding of the molecular mechanisms controlling regulated exocytosis. This is in part due to the exquisite temporal resolution of the technique, and the possibility of combining quantification of exo-/endocytosis at the whole-cell level, with the ability to simultaneously monitor and control the calcium signals triggering vesicle fusion. In this regard, experiments performed with Cm measurements complement amperometry experiments that give a measure of secreted transmitter and the behavior of the fusion pore, and fluorescent microscopy studies used to monitor vesicle and protein dynamics in imaged regions of the cell. In this chapter, we provide a detailed account of the methodology used to perform whole-cell patch clamp measurements of Cm in combination with voltage-clamp recordings of voltage-gated calcium channels to quantify stimulus-secretion coupling in chromaffin cells. Stimulus protocols developed for investigation of functionally distinct releasable vesicle pools are also described.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

    Elizabeth P. Seward

  2. Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK

    Robert C. Wykes

  3. Nanomedicine Lab, Faculty of Biology Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    Robert C. Wykes

Authors
  1. Elizabeth P. Seward
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  2. Robert C. Wykes
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elizabeth P. Seward .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Medicine and Pharmacology, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain

    Ricardo Borges

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© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

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Seward, E.P., Wykes, R.C. (2023). Membrane Capacitance Measurements of Stimulus-Evoked Exocytosis in Adrenal Chromaffin Cells. In: Borges, R. (eds) Chromaffin Cells. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2565. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2671-9_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2671-9_13

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-2670-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-2671-9

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