Book excerpt: A Volume in the Biological Techniques Series. This essential bench-top manual is the first comprehensive introduction to the principles and practice of the analysis of electrophysiological signals. The text describes hardware and software, including specific techniques for the analysis of single ion channels, noise analysis, and voltage-clamped whole cell currents. Rather than simply providing a manual describing how to use computer programs, this book provides insight into why programs operate in particular ways, the pitfalls awaiting the unwary, and the general philosophy behind signal analysis techniques. Examples of program source code are included. Key Features * Explains the principles of the digitization of analog signals * Provides practical examples for hardware in common use in the electrophysiological laboratory