title: A neuron-in-capillary platform for facile collection and mass spectrometric characterization of a secreted neuropeptide.
abstract: The integration of microfluidic devices-which efficiently handle small liquid volumes-with separations/mass spectrometry (MS) is an effective approach for profiling the neurochemistry occurring in selected neurons. Interfacing the microfluidic cell culture to the mass spectrometer is challenging because of geometric and scaling issues. Here we demonstrate the hyphenation of a neuron-in-capillary platform to a solid phase extraction device and off-line MS. A primary neuronal culture of Aplysia californica neurons was established directly inside a cylindrical polyimide capillary. The approach also uses a particle-embedded monolith to condition neuropeptide releasates collected from several Aplysia neurons cultured in the capillary, with the subsequent characterization of released peptides via MS. This system presents a number of advances compared to more traditional microfluidic devices fabricated with polydimethylsiloxane. These include low cost, easy access to cell culture, rigidity, ease of transport, and minimal fluid handling. The cylindrical geometry of the platform allows convenient interface with a wide range of analytical tools that utilize capillary columns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and the Beckman Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.|School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Young
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and the Beckman Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and the Beckman Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
authors.forename: Stanislav S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Rubakhin
authors.affiliation: School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sook
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and the Beckman Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Sweedler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001048:Aplysia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry; D056656:Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D061251:Primary Cell Culture; D012117:Resins, Synthetic / Q000737:chemistry*; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction / Q000379:methods; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D009479:Neuropeptides; D012117:Resins, Synthetic; C029945:polyimide resin; C013830:baysilon; D011189:Potassium Chloride