IDENTIFICATION OF MULTIPLE COMPARTMENTS OF DOPAMINE IN A SINGLE-CELL BY CE WITH SCANNING ELECTROCHEMICAL DETECTION

A method is described for the direct identification of dopamine from t wo separate vesicular compartments of a fully developed neuron in Plan orbis corneus by capillary electrophoresis with scanning electrochemic al detection. By manipulating the lyse time of the neuron after it is injected on the capillary, the two vesicular compartments are observed as two individually resolved peaks. Scanning electrochemical detectio n allows voltammetry to be obtained as the peaks elute in order to con firm their identity. Quantitation was accomplished through the use of calibration curves. The average amount of dopamine present was found t o be similar to 400 fmol. Dopamine concentrations were also determined and compared favorably with those of previous experiments on P. corne us.