Quantitative determination of dopamine in single rat pheochromocytoma cells by microchip electrophoresis with only one high-voltage power supply.

We developed a method for the direct identification of dopamine in single cultured rat pheochromocytoma cells by capillary electrophoresis using an end-channel carbon fiber nanoelectrode amperometric detector. The operation mode was designed to achieve single-cell injection and lysis in microfluidic chip electrophoresis with only one high-voltage power supply. The separation and detection conditions were optimized. Four catecholamines were baseline-separated and determined with this system, and the cell density and liquid height of the reservoirs were accommodated for single cell loading, docking and analysis. The microchip capillary electrophoresis system was successfully applied to determine dopamine in single cultured rat pheochromocytoma cells.