Visual identification of individual transfected cells for electrophysiology using antibody-coated beads.

Electrophysiological study of transiently transfected cells requires the identification of individual cells that express the protein of interest. We describe a simple, quick and inexpensive method for visually identifying cells that have been co-transfected with an expression plasmid for a lymphocyte surface antigen (CD8-α). Transfected cells are incubated briefly with polystyrene microspheres (4.5 μm diameter) that have been precoated with antibody to CD8