Patch-clamp protocols to study cell ionic homeostasis under saline conditions.

The patch-clamp technique was designed to measure any electrogenic transport across the whole cell and organelle (vacuolar) membranes and excised membrane patches. Here, we describe preparation of protoplasts and vacuoles, as well as patch-clamp assays, to detect the functional expression of K(+) and cation channels of plasma membrane and tonoplast, as well as plasma membrane anion channels and vacuolar and plasma membrane H(+) pumps. All of these contribute to the intracellular ionic homeostasis under saline conditions.