▁It ▁then ▁instruct s ▁a ▁parallel ▁circuit ▁that ▁has ▁a ▁large ▁current ▁source ▁behind ▁it ▁( the ▁elect rical ▁main s ) ▁and ▁adjust s ▁the ▁resistance ▁of ▁that ▁parallel ▁circuit ▁to ▁give ▁the ▁same ▁output ▁voltage , ▁but ▁across ▁a ▁lower ▁resistance . ▁ ▁P atch - cl amp ▁recording ▁ ▁This ▁technique ▁was ▁developed ▁by ▁Er win ▁Ne her ▁and ▁Bert ▁Sak mann ▁who ▁received ▁the ▁Nobel ▁Prize ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁Con vent ional ▁int rac ell ular ▁recording ▁involves ▁imp aling ▁a ▁cell ▁with ▁a ▁fine ▁electro de ; ▁patch - cl amp ▁recording ▁takes ▁a ▁different ▁approach . ▁A ▁patch - cl amp ▁micro elect ro de ▁is ▁a ▁mic rop ip ette ▁with ▁a ▁relatively ▁large ▁tip ▁diameter . ▁The ▁micro elect ro de ▁is ▁placed ▁next ▁to ▁a ▁cell , ▁and ▁gentle ▁su ction ▁is ▁applied ▁through ▁the ▁micro elect ro de ▁to ▁draw ▁a ▁piece ▁of ▁the ▁cell ▁memb rane ▁( the ▁' patch ') ▁into ▁the ▁micro elect ro de ▁tip ; ▁the ▁glass ▁tip ▁forms ▁a ▁high ▁resistance ▁' se al ' ▁with ▁the ▁cell ▁memb rane . ▁This ▁configuration ▁is ▁the ▁" cell - att ached " ▁mode , ▁and ▁it ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁for ▁studying ▁the ▁activity ▁of ▁the ▁ion ▁channels ▁that ▁are ▁present ▁in ▁the ▁patch ▁of ▁memb rane . ▁If ▁more ▁su ction ▁is ▁now ▁applied , ▁the ▁small ▁patch ▁of ▁memb rane ▁in ▁the ▁electro de ▁tip ▁can ▁be ▁disp la ced , ▁leaving ▁the