Electrical and Optical Monitoring of Facilitation Mechanisms in Chromaffin Cells

Augusta University Research Institute, Inc., Augusta GA

Investigators

Abstract

985559 smith, c. Electrical and Optical Monitoring of Facilitation Mechanisms in Chromaffin Cells. Certain cells of the endocrine and nervous system release chemical substances such as hormones and neurotransmitter in response to electrical stimulation. These released chemical substances travel to target cells or tissues and effect a response. Knowledge of the regulated release of hormones and neurotransmitters is critical to our understanding of the normal, and abnormal, function of the endocrine, nervous and cardiovascular systems, yet remains limited. This proposal outlines a series of experiments designed to furnish a more detailed description of the release process, and its regulation. It is the goal of this research to elucidate mechanisms by which cells control the amount of hormone or neurotransmitter released, and how the cells then ready themselves for subsequent activity. Electrical, optical and computational techniques will be employed to measure the stimulation-evoked release of hormone and neurotransmitter from single cells, as well as to quantify and describe the single steps along the release process. In a broader sense, understanding how biological systems transport and deliver molecules to cellular compartments may aid in the future design of nanotechnologies for the targeted delivery of bio-active compounds. The expansion of this research program at the Medical College of Georgia will facilitate training of scientific personnel in these state-of -the-art technologies. Finally, the capital investment in this research will strengthen the scientific infrastructure required for the further development of biotechnologies