Laser Capture Microdissection to Examine Transporter Expression in Specific Cell Regions

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease as a result of a selective degeneration of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra. The selective loss of dopamine neurons in Parkinson’s disease is thought to involve altered expression or function of the plasma membrane and vesicular transporters for dopamine (1). The dopamine transporter (DAT) is exclusively found in dopaminergic neurons (2) and renders the dopamine neuron susceptible to neurotoxins, such as 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) that can be transported by DAT into the neuron (1).