Simultaneous Quantitation of Na(+) and K(+) in Single Normal and Cancer Cells Using a New Near-Infrared Fluorescent
1College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging in Universities of Shandong, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, P.R. China.
Abstract:
Considering the important functions of cellular Na(+) and K(+) together with their cooperative efforts on various biological processes, it is significant to simultaneously detect Na(+) and K(+) at a single-cell level. Here, we present a novel method to discriminate and quantify simultaneously Na(+) and K(+) in single cells using a new near-infrared fluorescent probe associated with microchip electrophoresis. The fluorescent probe selectively responds to both Na(+) and K(+). The microchip electrophoresis allows accurate single-cell manipulation and effective distinction of Na(+) and K(+). Based on the method, the concentration of Na(+) and K(+) in single normal and cancer cells was compared, and the variation of Na(+) and K(+) in single cancer cells during the early stage of apoptotic volume decrease was monitored, which would help us to better understand the critical roles of Na(+) and K(+) in malignant cells and apoptosis. This method has paved a new way for the research of the synergistic function of Na(+) and K(+) in the regulation of various biological processes at a single-cell level.
