Microscale tools for measuring spatiotemporal chemical gradients in biological systems

John B. Wydallis; Charles S. Henry; David S. Dandy; Stuart Tobet

doi:10.1117/12.2005640

5 March 2013 Microscale tools for measuring spatiotemporal chemical gradients in biological systems

John B. Wydallis, Charles S. Henry, David S. Dandy, Stuart Tobet

Proceedings Volume 8570, Frontiers in Biological Detection: From Nanosensors to Systems V; 857009 (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2005640
Event: SPIE BiOS, 2013, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Chemical gradients drive many processes in biology, ranging from nerve signal transduction to ovulation. At present, microscopy is the primary tool used to understand these gradients. Microscopy has provided many important breakthroughs in our understanding of the fundamental biology, but is limited due to the need to incorporate fluorescent molecules into a biological system. As a result, there is a need to develop tools that can measure chemical gradient formation in biological systems that do not require fluorescent modification of the molecules in question, can be multiplexed to measure more than one molecule and is compatible with a variety of biological sample types, including in vitro cell cultures and ex vivo tissue slices. Work from our group centered on the development of microscale tools to measure chemical gradients will be presented. In this project, we have developed a microfluidic interface that allows for sampling from underneath a tissue slice or in vitro cell culture system. The sampling system can resolve up to 19 different ports and can be interfaced with either electrochemical or fluorescence-based detection methods. Using these two detection methods, we are capable of analyzing the release of either small molecule metabolites or proteins and peptides using immunoassays.

Citation Download Citation

John B. Wydallis, Charles S. Henry, David S. Dandy, and Stuart Tobet "Microscale tools for measuring spatiotemporal chemical gradients in biological systems", Proc. SPIE 8570, Frontiers in Biological Detection: From Nanosensors to Systems V, 857009 (5 March 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2005640

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available