Research Methods in Neurochemistry

This second volume of Research Methods in Neurochemistry develops themes featured in the first volume and also introduces new approaches to neurochemical methodology. A further chapter on cell separation tech niques seemed justified in view of its general importance to the study of neurone-glia relationships and the complexity of the methodological prob lems involved. Biogenic amines also receive more attention in chapters on the assay of monoamine oxidase, catechol-o-methyltransferase and pineal indoles; subcellular fractionation features again in chapters on methods for the isolation and study of brain mitochondria and synaptic vesicles. Among the new subjects dealt with in this volume, the chapter on cell culture per haps represents the most distinctive departure from the themes of the first volume. Culture of neural tissue and cells has, of course, been studied by neurobiologists for several decades, but it is only recently that the neuro chemical potential of this approach has begun to be exploited. We believe that neurochemists wishing to enter this field will find Dr. Herschman's extensive treatment of the subject in this volume of particular interest. Readers familiar with Volume 1 will note that the balance of subjects in this volume is broadly similar. Thus it has proved convenient to group the chapters under the same section headings as before, with the inclusion of chapters on amino acids in Section IV.

Contenu
Section I Ultrastructure and Fragmentation of Neural Tissue.- 1 Bulk Separation of Neuronal Cell Bodies and Glial Cells in the Absence of Added Digestive Enzymes.- 2 Isolation of Brain Mitochondria.- 3 Preparation of Brain Mitochondrial Membranes.- 4 Isolation and Study of Synaptic Vesicles.- Section II Properties of Intact Neural Tissues.- 5 Culture of Neural Tissue and Cells.- 6 Measurement of Arteriovenous Differences Across Rat Brain.- 7 Brain Blowing: A Technique for In Vivo Study of Brain Metabolism.- 8 Determination of Transport Rates In Vivo.- Section III Components of Neural Tissues.- 9 Isolation of Myelin Basic Proteins.- 10 Methods of Isolation and Identification of Neurophysin Proteins.- 11 Methods for the Neurochemical Study of Microtubules.- 12 Determination of Glycogen in Nervous Tissue.- Section IV Amino Acids and Biologically Active Amines.- 13 Methods for the Isolation and Determination of Glutamate, Glutamine, Aspartate, and ?-Aminobutyrate in Brain.- 14 Isolation and Determination of N-Acetyl-l-Aspartic Acid and Related Compounds in Brain.- 15 Methods for Analyzing Monoamine Oxidase and Catechol-O-methyltransferase in Nervous Tissue.- 16 The Pineal Organ.