Measurement of intracellular free zinc in living neurons.
Excessive Zn2+ influx has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neuronal death after global ischemia or prolonged seizures, but little is presently known about cellular regulation of intracellular free Zn2+ ([Zn2+]i). In large part, this is because the tools currently available for measuring [Zn2+]i are limited in comparison to those available for measuring [Ca2+]i or other ions. We outline here approaches to this task that have been taken in the past, and summarize our recent experience using mag-fura-5 to measure [Zn2+]i in living cortical neurons exposed to toxic levels of extracellular Zn2+.
Canzoniero
L M
LM
Center for the Study of Nervous System Injury, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
Sensi
S L
SL
Choi
D W
DW
D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000737:chemistry*; D009462:Neurology / Q000379:methods*; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis*
D015032:Zinc