Combined 3 pieces Gordon Conf. Combined 3 pieces Gordon Conf. Real-Time Imaging of Neuron Network Activity by Chemiluminescence John R. Feick Department of Biology Saint Anselm College Information on the performance of networks of living nerve cells would be enhanced if visible readouts of neuron activity were possible. A protocol has been developed for testing potential chemiluminescent indicators of the metabolic activity of nerve cells in cell culture, using lucigenin.
Fluorescent microscopy confirms that lucigenin is concentrated by mitochondria.
Active oxygen is an expected by-product of mitochondrial metabolism but is only weakly detected because cells are protected by active oxygen acceptors. Work by M. Trush demonstrates that this oxygen scaveng-ing system can be overloaded using very dilute KCN to derail the electron transport system. A modified scintillation counter is used to read the light output from the treated neurons. Photon output is low. The IPD low light imaging equipment at the MBL, Woods Hole, required computer processing to produce minimal information pictures.