CELLULAR PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGICAL MONITORING SYSTEM

为研究自由活动的动物，开发了一种新的细胞毒理监测系统(正在申请专利)。该系统是围绕一个微型空气控制微型阀建立的。这种装置可以放在动物的头上，并能够通过微电极耦合的微分离探头将对照溶液或药物溶液送入大脑。微阀和微电极/微透析探头单元之间的距离很短，可以快速将药物输送到大脑中，并即时记录药物诱导的细胞电生理变化。微型阀是由空气通过控制器远程启动的。控制溶液、药物溶液、废液、微透析液和激活微阀的空气通过8通道旋转。这个旋转器连接到一个18通道的电动换向器上。旋转/换向器单元由扭矩敏感型伺服驱动器旋转，并通过特殊电缆连接到微阀和微电极/微透析探头单元。该系统配有电信号分配器，方便电生理数据的采集。整个监测系统，包括微型阀门、微型阀门控制器、伺服旋转/换向器单元、特殊电缆和电信号分配器，将在2001年作为一个单独的、易于使用的成套设备供应，价格约为13,000美元。这种微型阀可以由大鼠、小鼠和头上较大的动物携带，而不会干扰它们的行为。由于该系统使研究人员能够在自然环境下行为过程中快速测试许多药物在大脑中的细胞电生理效应，这项技术为研究药物在中枢神经系统中的作用开辟了新的可能性。因此，开发的系统很可能在学术界和制药行业得到广泛应用。建议的商业应用：1.在学术界，神经药剂学家和精神药理学家可以使用微瓣膜系统在正常动物和中枢神经系统疾病动物模型的脑内定位各种公认的药物，如镇静剂、抗抑郁药、认知增强剂、抗癫痫药等的体内细胞电生理效应。2.同样在学术界，细胞生物学家、分子生物学家和药理学家可以使用微阀系统获得关于各种神经递质、离子通道、第二信使和基因在动物大脑中神经元电活动调节中的作用的新信息，这些信息在学习、睡眠、饮食、饮酒、性行为等行为中发挥作用。3.在制药行业，研究人员可以使用微阀系统来记录他们的公司S新化合物如何作用于动物体内的神经元。4.同样在制药行业，研究人员可以使用微型阀门系统来识别他们的实验化合物对活体动物大脑中神经元的电活动的有益细胞电生理效应。

A novel cellular pychopharmacological monitoring system was developed (patent pending) for research in freely moving animals. The system is built around a miniature air-controlled minivalve. This device can be placed on the head of the animal and is able to drive either a control solution or a drug solution into the brain via a microelectrode-coupled microdiaysis probe. The short distance between the minivalve and the microelectrode/microdialysis probe unit allows to deliver drugs into the brain rapidly and to record the drug-induced cellular electrophysiological changes instantly. The minivalve is activated remotely by air with a controller. The control solution, the drug solution, the waste fluids, the microdialysis fluids, and the air that activates the minivalvel pass through a 8-channel swivel. This swivel is connected to a 18-channel electrical commutator. The swivel/commutator unit is rotated by a torque-sensitive servo driver and is connected to the minivalve and the microelectrode/microdialysis probe unit via a special cable. The system is completed with an electrical signal distributor to make the electrophysiological data acquisition convenient. The entire monitoring system, that includes the minivalve, the minivalve-controller, the servo- rotated swivel/commutator unit, the special cable, and the electrical signal distributor will be available in 2001 as a single, easily usable package, at a price of approximately $13,000. The minivalve can be carried by rats, mice, and larger animals on their head, without disturbing their behavior. Since this system enables the investigator to quickly test the cellular electrophysiological effects of many drugs in brain in natural circumstances during behavior, the technology opens up new possibilities for studying drug actions in the central nervous system. As such, the developed system will likely be widely used in the academia and the pharmaceutical industry. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: 1. In the academia, neuropharmacologists and psychopharmacologists can use the minivalve-system to map the in vivo cellular electrophysiological effects of various well-established drugs, such as sedatives, antidepressants, cognition enhancers, antiepileptics, etc., in the brain of both normal animals and animal models of CNS disorders. 2. Also in the academia, cell biologists, molecular biologists and pharmacologists can use the minivalve system to obtain new information on the role of various neurotransmitters, ion channels, second messengers and genes in the regulation of neuronal electrical activity in the animal brain, during such behaviors as learning, sleep, eating, drinking, sex, etc. 3. In the pharmaceutical industry, researchers can use the minivalve- system to document how their company s new compounds act on the neurons of the animal brain, in vivo. 4. Also in the pharmaceutical industry, researchers can use the minivalve- system to recognize the beneficial cellular electrophysiological effects of their experimental compounds on the electrical activity of neurons in the animal brain, in vivo.