Patch-clamp technique in ESC-derived cardiomyocytes.

ESC-derived cardiomyocytes are excitable cells that express many of the ion channels also found in adult cardiomyocytes. The patch-clamp technique is a powerful technique to characterize both the electrophysiological properties of excitable cells as well as the underlying ion channel currents responsible for these electrophysiological properties. The technique also allows rapid and accurate screening of the pharmacological actions of agents used to modulate cardiomyocyte properties. In this chapter we illustrate the use of the whole-cell patch clamp technique by recording hERG (human ether-à-go-go-related gene) currents and action potentials in ESC-derived cardiomyocytes and also examine the effects of hERG channel blocker, dofetilide.