1. Photoemission analysis of chemical differences between the membrane and cytoplasm of neuronal cells
- Author
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P. Perfetti, Delio Mercanti, P. Casalbore, G. F. Lorusso, A. Cricenti, R. Generosi, M. T. Ciotti, Giorgio Margaritondo, and Gelsomina De Stasio
- Subjects
Acoustics and Ultrasonics ,Photoemission spectroscopy ,Chemistry ,CULTURES ,X-ray ,Neuron membrane ,Condensed Matter Physics ,In vitro ,Surfaces, Coatings and Films ,Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials ,Membrane ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Nuclear magnetic resonance ,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy ,Cytoplasm ,medicine ,Biophysics ,Neuron - Abstract
We demonstrate the possibility of using x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) to distinguish between the chemical properties of the neuron membrane and of the cytoplasm in brain cells. This was possible by analysing cells de-capped by using a newly developed technique. The XPS spectra clearly show chemical differences between the cell cytoplasm and the membrane, for example between nitrogen in -NH2 and -NH3, which are characteristic of the proteins and membrane phospholipids, respectively. A preliminary (and not conclusive) interpretation of all the observed spectroscopic features is given.
- Published
- 1997