dPatch® Low-Noise Ultra-Fast Digital Patch Clamp Amplifier System

dPatch® — The Next Generation of Digital Patch Clamp

The dPatch® Digital Patch Clamp Amplifier System from Sutter Instrument represents a complete rethinking of electrophysiology amplifier design. Built using state-of-the-art digital architecture — including field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and Arm Core processors — the dPatch delivers unprecedented noise performance and signal bandwidth for both single-channel and whole-cell patch clamp recordings.

Key Features

• Fully integrated single- or dual-headstage patch clamp amplifier and data acquisition system — quick and easy setup
• 5 MHz continuous sampling rate per headstage; up to 22-bit resolution
• Ultra-high bandwidth enables characterization of the fastest biological signals
• Optimized for low-noise single-channel and whole-cell recordings in cell-free patches, tissue slices, adherent or dissociated cells
• Voltage clamp and FastFollower™ true high-speed current clamp modes
• Three headstage feedback ranges for optimal single-channel and whole-cell recording
• Full computer control — automated compensation of electrode and whole-cell capacitance
• Comprehensive digital compensation circuitry for utmost precision and signal fidelity
• 8 fully differential analog input channels, 4 analog output channels, 16 digital outputs (TTL)
• Single SuperSpeed USB 3.0 connection controls amplifier and data acquisition
• Dynamic clamp (patented) with update rates up to 500 kHz — no external hardware required
• No active cooling required — comparable or better noise performance than cooled competitors
• Over 650 metadata attributes supported for complete experiment documentation
• Plug-and-play headstage swapping; retrofit second headstage at any time
• Standard dovetail fitting — drop-in replacement on existing micromanipulator rigs

SutterPatch® Software

The dPatch system is bundled with SutterPatch® — full-featured electrophysiology data acquisition, management and analysis software built on Igor Pro (WaveMetrics). Automatically captures and stores all amplifier settings, stimulus information and experiment parameters, synchronized with raw data traces.

• Real-time analysis: I-V curves and time course plots generated automatically
• Synaptic Event Detection, Action Potential Analysis, Camera Module
• Waveform Editor for complex stimulus patterns and templates
• 2D and innovative 3D scope display
• Over 650 metadata attributes; Solution Editor; Data Navigator
• Windows 10 or later (64-bit) or macOS 10.14 or later

Applications of dPatch® System

• Dynamic clamp experiments
• Single-channel recordings
• Auditory research and other rapidly changing signal recordings
• Tissue slice recordings
• Cultured cell experiments
• Cell line studies from adherent or dispersed cells
• Optogenetics
• Nanopore and nanogap research