Patch-Clamping Drosophila Brain Neurons

Abstract

Drosophila melanogaster is widely used as a model organism in all fields of biomedical research. In neuroscience, vast amounts of information have been gained using this little fly including the identification of neuronal circuits that regulate behaviors, the unraveling of their genetic underpinnings, and the molecular mechanisms involved. With plenty of genetic tools available to manipulate and infer neuronal activity, the direct measurement of electrical properties of fly neurons has lagged behind. This is due to the intricacies of performing electrical recordings in small cells such as fly central neurons. The patch-clamp technique offers the unique possibility of directly measuring the electrical properties of Drosophila neurons. This step-by-step protocol provides detailed advice for mastering this technique.