Intracellular and extracellular sampling to monitor the neurotransmission process using a chromatographic method

The neurotransmission process is essential for cellular communication and in a variety of disorders the mechanism is altered. At present, biological tissue sampling approaches utilise single sampling techniques where either neurochemicals present inside the cell or released from the cell are monitored, yet the neurotransmission mechanism involves both processes. We have utilised a sampling approach that allows for monitoring intracellular and extracellular neurochemicals, using image analysis of the tissue area to normalise neurochemicals levels for both methods. Both ratios and neurochemical levels were presented to explain alterations in neurotransmission mechanism between proximal and distal colon. The new parameters obtained from intracellular and extracellular sampling are more suited to explain neurotransmitter release and clearance compared to conventionally used parameters from single sampling studies.