CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS ANALYSIS OF SINGLE NEURONS

中枢神经系统由大量的细胞和突触组成 它依赖于一个微妙而精确的化学平衡， 功能这种化学平衡的破坏是人类疾病的基础。 神经系统包括主要的神经精神疾病。 然而，在这方面， 由于中枢神经系统的复杂性， 很难精确定义神经细胞的分子含量， 正常或疾病状态下的突触。长期目标是 研究计划是开发和实施新的仪器， 大大提高了微分离能力和超灵敏度， 神经元的化学成分。毛细管电泳，或游离 区域或凝胶包装，将用于从单个分子中分离分子 神经元、突触、神经元释放物或单个突触囊泡。 将使用激光诱导的光学方法定量分析物 荧光和激光光热偏转结合电荷 耦合检测器装置。可以进行分析， 比现有技术灵敏一百万倍以上。

The central nervous system consists of a vast array of cells and synapses which depend on a delicate and precise chemical balance for normal function. Disruption of this chemical balance underlies diseases of the nervous system including the major neuropsychiatric disorders. However, because of the complexity of the central nervous system it remains difficult to define precisely the molecular content of nerve cells and synapses in normal or disease states. The long-term objective of this research program is to develop and implement new instrumentation with greatly increased capability for micro-separation and ultra-sensitive of the chemical content of neurons. Capillary electrophoresis, either free zone or gel-packed, will be used to fractionate molecules from single neurons, synapses, neuronal releasates, or individual synaptic vesicles. Analytes will be quantitated by optical means using laser induced fluorescence and laser opto-thermal deflection in conjunction with charge coupled detector devices. It may be possible to perform analyses which are greater than one million fold more sensitive than current techniques.