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. Lucigenin analogs, synthesized by Helix Research, are being surveyed as alternative photon producers. Current light output is not strong enough to support practical applications, but small improvements might make the method useful. . . . . . . Israel's experiments suggested that imaging the activity of inter-connected neurons could be useful, and his work continues. Trush has also demonstrated that lucigenin acts as a fluorescent dye that concentrates in mitochondria.