Single neurons as experimental systems in molecular biology.
The cellular and the inter-connective complexity of the central nervous system (CNS) necessitate's analysis of functioning at both the system and single cell levels. Systems neuroscience has developed procedures that facilitate the analysis of multicellular systems including multielectrode arrays, dye tracings and lesioning assays, and at the single cell level there have been significant strides in assessing the physiology and morphology of individual cells. Until recently little progress had been made in understanding the molecular biology of single neuronal cells. This review will highlight the development of PCR and aRNA procedures for analysis of mRNA abundances in single cells. Also, other procedures for the analysis of protein abundances as well as the association of RNA with proteins will also be summarized. These procedures promise to provide experimental insights that will help unravel the functional mechanisms regulating the cellular components of the CNS.
Hinkle
David
D
Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, 36th and Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Glanzer
Jason
J
Sarabi
Arezou
A
Pajunen
Tiina
T
Zielinski
Jennifer
J
Belt
Brian
B
Miyashiro
Kevin
K
McIntosh
Tracy
T
Eberwine
James
J
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis
D012333:RNA, Messenger