Surface-Roughened Graphene Oxide Microfibers Enhance Electrochemical Reversibility.

Here, we provide an optimized method for fabricating surface-roughened graphene oxide disk microelectrodes (GFMEs) with enhanced defect density to generate a more suitable electrode surface for dopamine detection with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV). FSCV detection, which is often influenced by adsorption-based surface interactions, is commonly impacted by the chemical and geometric structure of the electrode's surface, and graphene oxide is a tunable carbon-based nanomaterial capable of enhancing these two key characteristics. Synthesized GFMEs possess exquisite electronic and mechanical properties.

Subsecond Codetection of Dopamine and Estradiol at a Modified Sharkfin Waveform.

17β-Estradiol (E2) is a ubiquitously expressed hormone that is active in a wide range of neuroprotective and regenerative roles throughout the brain. In particular, it is a well-known dopamine (DA) regulator and is responsible for modulating the expression of dopaminergic receptors and transporters. Recent studies point to E2 release occurring on a rapid time scale and having impacts on DA activity within seconds to minutes.

Development of an Electrochemical, Aptamer-Based Sensor for Dynamic Detection of Neuropeptide Y.

The ability to monitor dynamic changes in neuropeptide Y (NPY) levels in complex environments can have an impact on many fields, including neuroscience and immunology. Here, we describe the development of an electrochemical, aptamer-based (E-AB) sensor for the dynamic (reversible) measurement of physiologically relevant (nanomolar) concentrations of neuropeptide Y. The E-AB sensors are fabricated using a previously described 80 nucleotide aptamer reported to specifically bind NPY with a binding affinity = 0.

Measuring neuron-regulated immune cell physiology via the alpha-2 adrenergic receptor in an ex vivo murine spleen model.

The communication between the nervous and immune systems plays a crucial role in regulating immune cell function and inflammatory responses. Sympathetic neurons, which innervate the spleen, have been implicated in modulating immune cell activity. The neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE), released by sympathetic neurons, influences immune cell responses by binding to adrenergic receptors on their surface.

Nanostructured carbon-fiber surfaces for improved neurochemical detection.

Fundamental insight into the extent to which the nanostructured surface and geometry impacts neurochemical interactions at electrode surfaces could provide significant advances in our ability to design and fabricate ultrasensitive neurochemical detection probes. Here, we investigate the extent to which the nanostructure of the carbon-fiber surface impacts detection of catecholamines and purines with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV). Carbon-fibers were treated with argon (Ar) plasma to induce variations in the nano- and micro-structure without changing the functionalization of the surface.

Extended sawhorse waveform for stable zinc detection with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry.

Zinc (Zn(II)) is a divalent cation involved in regulating intracellular signal transduction and gene expression through transcription factor activity, and can act as a metal neurotransmitter by modulating synaptic activity and neuronal plasticity. Previous research has demonstrated spatial heterogeneity of Zn(II) in the brain, has estimated extracellular concentrations of Zn(II) across various brain regions, and has measured rapid intracellular changes in Zn(II) concentration during glutamate flux. Despite this work, quantification of rapid extracellular Zn(II) release from neurons, on a millisecond time scale, in real time has remained difficult with existing technologies.