MICROELECTRODES FOR THE DETERMINATION OF NEUROREGULATORS

OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, MANY NEUROREGULATORS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN IDENTIFYING THE MOLECULAR BASIS OF NEUROTRANSMISSION. THE IN VIVO DYNAMICS OF SEVERAL NEUROCHEMICAL EVENTS HAVE BEEN MONITORED USING AMPEROMETRIC MICROELECTRODES, BUT THIS APPROACH IS HINDERED BY THE REALTIVELY POOR SELECTIVITY OF THESE ELECTRODES. IN THIS PROJECT, ELECTRODES WITH EXCELLENT SELECTIVITIES WILL BE DEVELOPED BY INCORPORATING A THIN LAYER OF IMMOBILIZED ENZYME AND OTHER PROTECTIVE COATINGS INTO THE MICROELECTRODE. SUCH ELECTRODES WOULD ALLOW THE IN VIVO DETERMINATION OF NONELECTROACTIVE SPECIES FOR THE FIRST TIME. INITIALLY, AN ELECTRODE FOR THE DETERMINATION OF THE POTENT NEUROEXCITATORY AMINO ACID, GLUTAMATE, WAS DEVELOPED, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN MANY NEURONAL PATHWAYS ANDIS NORMALLY PRESENT IN FAIRLY HIGH CONCENTRATIONS. THE SPATIAL, TEMPORAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ELECTRODES WILL BE IMPROVED, AND MICROELECTRODES FOR OTHER COMPOUNDS IMPORTANT IN NEUROREGULATION WILL BE DEVELOPED IN PHASE II.