Thermal Transduction in Somatosensory Neurons

本项目的主要目标是研究膜 参与热刺激信号传导的机制， 三叉神经节中的神经细胞 从面部获取信息。 一种新颖的微型热 刺激器正在开发中，它将高度适用于 局部和良好控制的热刺激这些 三叉神经感觉神经元维持在一个 细胞培养环境。 这一新工具基于 在商业上可获得的微型温度计上，该微型温度计 利用温度依赖的变化率 磷光体涂层发射的荧光在室温下的衰减 光纤探针的尖端 的尖端 温度探头作为黑体辐射器， 用一层黄金覆盖。 一种新型光学组件 将光纤耦合到氙闪光灯和 红外激光二极管。 红外线和 蓝色辐射进入光纤将使其成为可能 以同时加热探针的前部并测量 它的表面温度。 通过利用温度 反馈回路中的信号并对输出进行脉冲调制 红外激光二极管，可以精确地 控制高度局部化的热刺激。 这个新 仪器应该有许多重要应用， 生物学研究

The major goal of this project is to study the membrane mechanisms involved in signalling thermal stimuli by nerve cells in the trigeminal ganglion which receives information from the face. A novel, miniature thermal stimulator is being developed which will apply highly localized and well-controlled heat stimuli to these trigeminal sensory neurons which are maintained in a cell-culture environment. This new instrument is based upon a commercially available miniature thermometer which utilizes a temperature-dependent change in the rate of decay of fluorescence emitted by a phosphor coating at the tip of a fiberoptic probe. The tip of the temperature probe functions as a black-body radiator by covering it with a layer of gold. A new optical assembly couples the optical fiber to both a xenon flash light and an infrared laser diode. Injection of both infrared and blue radiation into the optic fiber will make it possible to simultaneously heat the front of the probe and measure its surface temperature. By utilizing the temperature signal in a feedback loop and pulse-modulating the output of the infrared laser diode, it is possible to accurately control the highly localized heat stimuli. This new instrument should have many important applications in biological research.