FLUORESCENT PROBE DEVELOPMENT FOR NEURAL CELLS

Abstract

NEURAL CELLS CONSTITUTE SOME OF THE MOST STRUCTURALLY DIVERSE AND COMPLEX CELLS IN THE BODY. DUE TO THEIR RELATIVE INACCESSIBILITY, IT REMAINS A CHALLENGE TO LABEL AND CHARACTERIZE NEURAL CELLS EFFECTIVELY IN THEIR NATIVE SETTINGS. TRADITIONALLY, THIS HAS BEEN ACHIEVED THROUGH THE USE OF ANTIBODY STAINING OR GENETIC INTERVENTION. CHEMICAL GENETICS EMPLOYS THE USE OF SMALL MOLECULE PROBES TO CARRY OUT EFFECTOR FUNCTIONS WITHOUT COMPROMISING CELL VIABILITY AND FUNCTIONALITY. USING OUR DIVERSITY ORIENTED FLUORESCENCE LIBRARY (DOFL) OF SMALL MOLECULE PROBES ON A MOUSE PRIMARY NEURAL CELL SCREENING PLATFORM, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY IDENTIFIED SEVERAL FLUORESCENT COMPOUNDS THAT ARE SPECIFIC FOR MICROGLIA AND NEURONS.