神经生物学

Laser capture microdissection (LCM) provides an efficient and precise method for the sampling of single cells or subgroups of cells in heterogeneous tissues such as the brain. We have recently applied LCM coupled with microarray analysis for the examination of gene expression in the hypot ...

In situ polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a histological technique that exploits the advantages of PCR for detection of mRNA directly in tissue sections. It somehow conjugates together PCR and in situ hybridization that is more traditionally employed for mRNA localization in cell organ ...

Measurements of changes in pre-mRNA levels by intron-specific probes are generally accepted as more closely reflecting changes in gene transcription rates than are measurements of mRNA levels by exonic probes. This is, in part, because the pre-mRNAs, which include the primary transcri ...

In situ hybridization has become a routine technique to provide insights into RNA localization. However, different protocols exist for multiple purposes, and it is, therefore, important to clearly define specific needs to choose the most suitable one(s). For instance, in situ hybridiza ...

The study of neuronal connections and neuron to neuron (or neuron to glia) communication is of fundamental importance in understanding brain structure and function. Therefore, ultrastructural investigation by the use of immunocytochemical techniques is a really precious tool to ...

Neuropeptides are particularly suited to comparative and evolutionary studies, since they have been highly conserved during evolution. Based on primary amino-acid structure, neuropeptides can be arranged into families and synthesized as multiple molecular variants. They m ...

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprise one of the largest families of transmembrane proteins involved in signal transduction of diverse external stimuli and represent the most successful target class in drug discovery. The availability of genome sequences in the postgeno ...

Recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vectors can be used to locally or systemically enhance or silence gene expression. They are relatively nonimmunogenic and can transduce dividing and nondividing cells, and different rAAV serotypes may transduce diverse cell types. The ...

This paper describes an experimental approach based on nanotechnology for assessing the chronic actions of short-lived neuropeptides at specific sites of the brain. This methodology combines the advantages of two different techniques: the microinjection of a suspension of pept ...

Phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides (PODNs) can act as antisense molecules, knocking down proteins. Many PODNs have the unusual characteristic of being transported across the blood–brain barrier by a saturable system. This means that PODNs injected intravenously can ac ...

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) represents multiple barriers for drug delivery from the circulation. Peptides potentially useful to treat maladies of the brain are especially limited in their ability to cross the BBB due to several shortcomings. Specific delivery strategies have been c ...

A major barrier to entry of neuropeptides into the brain is low bioavailability and presence of the blood–brain barrier. Intranasal delivery of neuropeptides provides a potentially promising alternative to other routes of administration, since a direct pathway exists between the o ...

We know neuropeptides now for over 40 years as chemical signals in the brain. The discovery of neuropeptides is founded on groundbreaking research in physiology, endocrinology, and biochemistry during the last century and has been built on three seminal notions: (1) peptide hormones are ch ...

This protocol describes an ELISA-based method for assaying serum levels of autoantibodies reactive with neuropeptides. The method allows for measuring relative amounts of free and bound, i.e., those present in immune complexes, autoantibodies using two types of sample buffers prov ...

The control of neuropeptide function is partially accomplished by aminopeptidases (neuropeptidases), which are the most abundant proteolytic enzymes in brain. Their analysis represents an important and quick tool to reflect the functional status of their endogenous substra ...

Antibody-coated microprobes have been demonstrated to be useful for detecting the release of neuropeptide transmitters from discrete sites in the central nervous system (CNS). This technique uses glass micropipettes taken through a series of chemical coatings, starting with a γ-a ...

Microdialysis is a technique that collects extracellular fluid through a semipermeable membrane. Various compounds are obtained with this technique in vivo in free-moving animals. Originally, this technique was developed to measure several biogenic amines in rat brain, for exam ...

Neuropeptidomics refers to a global characterization approach for the investigation of neuropeptides, often under specific physiological conditions. Neuropeptides comprise a complex set of signaling molecules that are involved in regulatory functions and behavioral c ...

Peptide study and analysis widely involve liquid chromatography. Among the different strategies available, reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) is one of the methods of choice to separate species in a nontargeted approach. The compounds are sorted according to their hy ...

The past half-century has seen an enormous development in the area of biomedical science. This includes also research related to neuroactive peptides. These compounds have been the subject for extensive studies in many cases resulting in knowledge opening for new therapeutic strateg ...