Accurate patch clamp recordings require gigaseals. The term describes electrically tight adherence of cells to the recording device. Flyscreen^® routinely obtains GigaSeals (R>1 GOhm) are at a high rate using Chinese Hamster
Ovary cells, Chinese Hamster Lung cells, Jurkat T
lymphoma cells, Human Embryonic Kidney cells, Mouse Erythroleukaemia cells and others. Seal resistances are
as high as in conventional patch clamp experiments. In addition, GigaSeals inside a tip are extremely durable.

In a typical experimental run the seal rate achieved with Chinese Hamster Ovary cells was 82% and the seal resistance 9.3±1.7 GOhm (mean±SEM, n=378). With Chinese Hamster Lung cells the respective figures were 75% and 11.0±1.0 (n=281). The threshold for a successful seal was set at 1 GOhm.

The micrograph shows that the seal forms between the
outer circumference of the rounded cell and the smooth
inner surface of the glass tip.