Novel methods for the preparation of antibody microprobes

Antibody microprobes are devices which have been used to determine the release sites of several neuropeptides. The production of microprobes using the previous methodology is a time-consuming procedure requiring a high level of skill. The aim of the study was to investigate alternative methods for the production of microprobes which would simplify this procedure. Specific antibodies to thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) were bound to the outside of glass and tungsten wire microprobes using (a) an aminosilane coating, (b) a polycarbonate plastic coating and (c) an epoxylite resin-activated charcoal coating. Microprobes were assessed in vitro and in vivo for their ability to measure the neuropeptide TRH. All methods considerably reduced the time required to manufacture microprobes (more than 5-fold) and the aminosilane and epoxylite resin/charcoal-coated probes were suitable for use in vivo. The preferred binding coat was epoxylite/charcoal which has now been used to determine sites of TRH release in rat brain.