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There is growing interest in sampling of protein biomarkers from the interstitial compartment of the brain and other organs using high molecular cutoff membrane microdialysis (MD) catheters. However, recent data suggest that protein sampling across such MD membranes is a highly complex process that needs to be further studied. Here, we report three major improvements for microdialysis sampling of proteins in complex biological matrixes. The improvements in this in vitro study using human ventricular cerebrospinal fluid as the sample matrix include increased fluid recovery control, decreased protein adsorption on the microdialysis membrane and materials, and novel quantitative mass spectrometry analysis. Dextrans in different concentrations and sizes were added to the perfusion fluid. It was found that dextrans with molecular mass 250 and 500 kDa provided a fluid recovery close to 100%. An improved fluid recovery precision could be obtained by self-assembly triblock polymer surface modification of the MD catheters. The modified catheters also delivered a significantly increased extraction efficiency for some of the investigated proteins. The final improvement was to analyze the dialysates with isobaric tagged (iTRAQ) proteomics, followed by tandem mass spectrometric analysis. By using this technique, 48 proteins could be quantified and analyzed with respect to their extraction efficiencies. The novel aspects of microdialysis protein sampling, detection, and quantification in biological fluids presented in this study should be considered as a first step toward better understanding and handling of the challenges associated with microdialysis sampling of proteins. The next step is to optimize the developed methodology in vivo. 10.1021/ac1007706

The present study examines pyruvate kinase-conjugated antibodies for potential use in ELISA applications. The conjugates had an acceptable stability, and the coupling inflicted only minor impairment on the kinase activity. To mimic the setup of an immunoassay under development, a test antigen (BSA) was attached to polystyrene nanoparticles. This arrangement was found to be suitable as solid support for presentation of antigens in sensitive bioluminescence assays. The nanoparticles were well characterized in terms of protein surface load and were used to establish the number of conjugate complexes needed to generate a detectable signal. Under the biochemical conditions employed here, the detection limit of the pyruvate kinase conjugate lies in the femtomole range.

Sedimentation field flow fractionation (SdFFF) is an emerging high-performance analytical tool for separation and determination of size and adsorption characteristics of colloidal particles. This study demonstrates how SdFFF can be used to characterize nanoparticles prepared for in vivo applications including (1) the quantification of polymer uptake on nanoparticles where surface coverage is crucial and (2) the coupling of cell adhesive peptides containing the Arg-Gly-Asp motif (RGD). Quantitative information about polymer adhesion in order to prepare a bioinert surface and an accurate determination of ligand uptake are both of obvious importance for the understanding of, for example, relations between the number of attached molecules for biointeraction and an observed therapeutic effect. In addition, the present work highlights the necessity to perform careful characterization of commercially available particulate starting materials, in terms of size and polydispersity, prior to biological experimentation.

Geometric scaling of microelectrical field flow fractionation ([micro]-EFFF) systems is investigated experimentally and compared to theory and to macroscale EFFF systems. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate that the miniaturized system operates according to the scaling theory associated with the system. Demonstrated improvements in the channels include increased retention and resolution and decreased peak broadening, electrical time constants, relaxation time, power consumption, and sample size. Additionally, scaling effects related to the compression of separation zones in the miniaturized EFFF systems are discussed.

A new approach to producing SERS activity on dispersed particles is described. Silver islands are deposited onto submicron latex and glass particles, and the particles are dispersed into aqueous suspensions. The physical structure of the metal islands is investigated by transmission electron and atomic force microscopies and compared with the optical absorption and SERS efficiencies for several particulate substrates and silver deposition methods. Thermal vapor deposition onto poly(methyl methacrylate) particles produced a latex that supported silver islands with optical properties and SERS activities similar to silver-island films deposited on flat surfaces. Like silver colloids, the material could be handled as an aqueous suspension to generate SERS from a dispersed surface; unlike silver colloids, however, the optical and physical properties of the material were stable upon storage for periods as long as several months.

In its original implementation, electrical field-flow fractionation (EFFF) was carried out in membrane-walled channels with the electrodes placed externally to the flow channel. The poor separation efficiency of this system left the technique largely unattended for about two decades. In the present study, we describe a new and simple approach to EFFF, which demonstrates the technique's ability to carry out rapid, high-resolution separations of colloidal samples in aqueous suspensions. The present channels are bounded by the smooth and rigid graphite electrodes which allow for the application of small voltages, typically less than 2 V, across the thin (178 micrometer) separation space defined by a Mylar spacer. Although this arrangement generates nominal fields of the order of 100 V/cm, polarization of the electrodes considerably reduces the effective field across the bulk of the channel to less than 1% of the nominal value. Nevertheless, under conditions of low ionic strength the system is shown to retain and separate polystyrene (PS) latex standards with sizes ranging from 60 to 10 000 nm. For small particles of comparable Zeta-potential, separating in the 'normal' mode of EFFF, the size selectivity S(sub d), is approximately 0.7. As with other FFF techniques, EFFF displays a transition from 'normal' to 'steric' behavior; the critical diameter for this transition is highly dependent on ionic strength, with values ranging from approximately 500 nm in deionized water to approximately 1200 nm in 133 micro-M aqueous NaCl under an applied voltage of 1.37 V and a flow of 1 mL/min. Although the stop-flow period customarily observed immediately after sample injection is shown to perturb the field, it still has a positive effect on resolution under most conditions. Thus, stop-flow times of approximately 5 min will permit the baseline resolution of a 272-nm latex from soluble contaminants in a 2-min separation step.

This work outlines the fundamental scaling laws associated with electrical field flow fractionation channels. Although general FFF theory indicates few advantages from miniaturization, EFFF theory indicates clear advantages to miniaturization of the EFFF channel. Retention, plate heights, resolution, equilibration times, and time constants are examined. The outlined theory predicts scaling advantages in each of these areas after miniaturization. Potential applications, such as the use of these systems for sample preparation in microscale total analysis systems, and improvements associated with these theoretical predictions are also discussed.

Describes a technique for separating samples that range over 15 orders of magnitude in molecular weight. Discusses theory, apparatus, and sample preparation techniques. Lists several types of field-flow fractionation (FFF) and their uses: sedimentation FFF, thermal FFF, flow FFF, electrical FFF, and steric FFF. (ML)