Chemical Sensors for Cellular Conditions and Components

描述(申请人提供)：将开发用于小型有机化合物的荧光化学传感器。化学传感器是一种人工合成的探头，在与特定分析物相互作用时产生可见信号。在生物化学领域，这些探针被用作灵敏的、非破坏性的方法来量化细胞中特定分析物的浓度。化学传感器在解开许多金属离子的细胞功能方面发挥了关键作用，其中最引人注目的是细胞钙。类似的有机分子荧光传感器还没有达到这种成功的程度。这项研究的具体目的是开发用于神经递质和神经调节剂的新型化学传感器。这是一个影响广泛的重要问题。该项目将生产谷氨酸、天冬氨酸、赖氨酸和儿茶酚胺的传感器，这些传感器在与生理相关的pH和盐度条件下发挥作用。此外，还将生产依赖于pH的荧光团，以扩大这类传感器的用途。生物学研究将在合作者的帮助下进行，其中细胞将被荧光传感器染色，并将测量神经递质的位置和浓度。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Fluorescent chemical sensors for small organic compounds will be developed. Chemical sensors are synthetic probes which produce a visible signal upon interaction with a specific analyte. In the biochemical community, these probes have been used as sensitive, nondestructive methods for quantifying the concentration of a particular analyte in cells. Chemical sensors have played a pivotal role in unraveling the cellular function of a number of metal ions, most notably cell calcium. Similar fluorescent sensors for organic molecules have not reached this level of success. The specific aims of this research are to develop novel chemical sensors for neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. This is an important problem with broad ramifications. This project will produce sensors for glutamate, aspartate, lysine, and the catecholamines which function under physiologically relevant conditions of pH and salinity. Furthermore, fluorophores which are pH dependant will be produced to expand the utility of this class of sensors. Biological studies will be performed with the aid of collaborators in which cells will be stained with the fluorescent sensors and the location and concentration of neurotransmitter will be measured.