Intracellular FITC-derivatization with PEG

SGP-1 increases dendritic and synaptic development dependent on synaptic activity

Neurotrophic factors are a group of secreted proteins which generally regulate neurite outgrowth and synaptic development. SGP-1 has been reported as a neurotrophic factor, though little is known of its effect on neurite outgrowth, and it is unknown whether SGP-1 affects synaptic development. We report here that SGP-1 is distributed in vesicle-like puncta in somas and dendrites of primary neurons in culture, and that SGP-1 is secreted in culture and is taken up by endocytosis in dendrites. Endogenous extracellular activity of SGP-1 promotes dendritic, but not axonal outgrowth. Furthermore, endogenous activity of SGP-1 increases synaptogenesis in hippocampal neurons as determined by measuring the density and size of synaptophysin puncta and by determining the density of dendritic spines, their surface expression of GluR2 and their immunoreactivity for GluR1. The effect of SGP-1 on the amount of postsynaptic receptors in dendritic spines depends on synaptic activity and apparently on activation of MAPK, as inhibition of either of these abolished the affect. Hence, SGP-1 has neurotrophic effects, increasing dendritic growth and promoting synaptic development in an activity-dependent fashion.

Intracellular labeling method for chip-based capillary electrophoresis fluorimetric single cell analysis using liposomes

An intracellular derivatization method mediated by liposome was developed for single cell analysis with chip-based capillary electrophoresis (CE) and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection. Liposomes with an average diameter of 100 nm were produced from phosphatidylcholine to encapsulate fluorescent dyes by an ultrasonic method. The encapsulation yield and the vesicle density were determined to be 46+/-5% and 8.8 x 10(14)/mL, respectively. The amount of fluorescent dye that entered the cells was dependent on the duration of incubating cells with liposomes, liposome density, and concentration of the dye solution encapsulated in liposomes. The described method introduced cell membrane nonpermeable fluorescent dyes into living cells without reducing cell viability. Single cell analysis using microfluidic chip-based CE revealed that liposome-membrane fusion occurred after entrance of liposomes into the cells, with release of encapsulated fluorescence dyes and labeling of intracellular species.

Analysis of amino acids in individual wheat embryonic protoplast

Amino acids analysis in single wheat embryonic protoplast was performed using capillary electrophoresis equipped with laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF), combination with tissue culture technique. Reagent fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was introduced into living protoplasts by electroporation for intracellular derivatization. A special osmotic buffer (0.6 mol/L mannitol, 5 mmol/L CaCl2) was used to keep the osmotic balance of embryonic protoplasts during the protoplasts derivatization. After completion of the derivatization reaction in the protoplasts, a single protoplast was drawn into the capillary tip by electroosmotic flow. Then a 0.1 M NaOH lysing solution was injected by diffusion. The derivatized amino acids were separated by capillary electrophoresis and detected by laser-induced fluorescence detection after the protoplast was lysed Nine amino acids were quantitatively and qualitatively determined and compared in lysate and single protoplast of wheat embryonic cells respectively, with mean concentrations of amino acids ranging from 2.68 x 10(-5) mol/L to 18.18 x 10(-5) mol/L in single protoplast.