ABSTRACT
The study of the brain and its function has been an area of research for many years, with work focusing on aspects that vary from whole brain systems to single cells. Chemical analysis of single cells is an area of great interest in the biological and medical sciences, as knowledge of the dynamics of single cells should advance our understanding of such diverse processes as neuronal communication, neurotransmitter transport and secretion, receptor-mediated signal transduction, and voltage-gated ion channels in regulating cellular functions. Several analytical techniques have provided information regarding the neurophysiology and neuropharmacology of the brain. However, one technique, electroanalysis, is especially useful for these types of studies as it has the ability to provide highly sensitive qualitative and quantitative information for electroactive neurochemicals that are easily oxidized or reduced. Electroanalytical techniques possess unique characteristics that make them suitable for studying dynamic chemical processes in real time as they occur in complex biological matrices.
