cb3449@drexel.edu
Chat questions and responses:
Do you use molecular docking with AutoDock Vina or a similar program.
What protein do you want the cells to make?
dopamine transporter
it can be wild type or mutant versions of the dopamine transporter
What kind of assay are you doing again?
What is this machine called?
we call this a dose response uptake assay
we put different concentrations of a test drug and to find the concentration that will block the transporter
we measure how much radioactive dopamine goes into the cells
the machine is called a plate washer
we use 96 well plates
How is the dopamine tagged?
it is radioactive by having some of the hydrogens replaced with tritrium
Thank you! How is this replacement done in the lab?
we buy it
it is quite expensive
1 ml - $2000
How long does it usually take to get the results from the assay?
the transfection sits for 2 days
the assay itself takes about 30 minutes
and the collection of results another 30 minutes
so fairly quickly
what other animal models are used in the lab?
we used to use planarians but at the moment only rats
we collaborate with someone using C. elegans
For behaviors we give the rats amphetamine and cocaine and measure how it stimulates locomotion and how rewarding it is
Could zebrafish be a good model organism for something like this?
are there differences in the stimulating effects of cocaine and amphetamines?
If rats are the best option for a model organism, why do you use other like c. Elegans?
