PATCH-CLAMP DETECTION OF NEUROTRANSMITTERS IN CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS

Gamma-aminobutyrate acid, L-glutamate, and N-methyl-D-aspartate were s eparated by capillary electrophoresis and detected by the use of whole -cell and outside-out patch-clamp techniques on freshly dissociated ra t olfactory interneurons. These neuroactive compounds could be identif ied from their electrophoretic migration times, unitary channel conduc tances, and power spectra that yielded corner frequencies and mean sin gle-channel conductances characteristic for each of the different agon ist-receptor interactions. This technique has the sensitivity to obser ve the opening of a single ion channel for agonists separated by capil lary electrophoresis.