N.M.Technology
- Details
What is NMT?
NMT is also capable of obtaining ionic/molecular fluxes in 3D by measuring the concentration gradient in all x, y and z directions. |
Non-invasive Micro-test Technology (NMT® ) is developed based on the ‘vibrating probe’ technique started by Dr. Lionel Jaffe from Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts and Dr. Ian Newman from Tasmania University of Australia in the early 1990s (please see literatures here). Without touching the samples, NMT is able to tell researchers how fast specific ions and/or molecules are going in or coming out their living samples. NMT will detect ionic/molecular fluxes (up to pico(10-12)moles*cm-2*s-1） in liquid media near the surface of samples click to see how it works?, which could be condensed organelle, single cells, tissues up to small intact organisms. NMT® can also help researchers to obtain information such as concentrations and motion directions of specific ions and molecules going in/out of the samples in optimized buffers. H+, Ca2+ , K+, Na+, Cl-, NH4+, Mg2+, Cd2+, NO3-, O2 and H2O2 can be measured individually or in combinations of two. What new information can NMT bring into my research? click to see more......? |
Why Measure Fluxes?
Let's take a look at few examples from the real scientific world to see what new insights the NMT has brought into their research. |
Case#1:see details... Optimization of Algae-based Wastewater Treatment Processes - Dr.Park, University of Massachusetts |
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Case#2:see details... Salt Stress/Resistance Research in Poplar – Dr.Chen, Beijing Forest University |
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Case#3:see details... Where is the Ca2+ coming from? - Dr.Lin, Institute of Botany, CAS |
How does NMT Work?
NMT measures the concentration gradient of a specific molecule and/or ion by means of selective/specific micro-electrodes "vibrated" - repeatedly between points in user predefined fashion. The molecular/ionic fluxes are calculated based on the Fick’s law of diffusion:
where J is the ion flux in x direction, dc/dx is its concentration gradient and D is its diffusion constant. The direction of the flux is derived from Fick’s law of diffusion that relates the concentration gradient to the diffusion coefficient.
Video Demos
Data contributed by the courtesy of Dr. Chul Park of University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Literatures
Literatures to Start
- Jaffe LF and Nuccitelli R. An ultrasensitive vibrating probe for measuring steady extracellular currents. Journal of Cell Biology, 1974, 63: 614 - 628
- Kühtreiber WM and Jaffe LF. Detection of extracellular calcium gradients with a calcium specific vibrating electrode. Journal of Cell Biology, 1990, 110: 1565 - 157
- Kochian, L V, Shaff J E, Kuhtreiber W M, Jaffe L F & Lucas W J (1992) Use of an extracellular, ion-selective microelectrode system for the quantification of K+, H+, and Ca2+ fluxes in maize roots and maize suspension cells. Planta 188, 601-610.
- Arif I. & Newman I.A. (1993) Proton efflux from oat coleoptile cells and exchange with wall calcium after IAA or fusicoccin treatment. Planta. 189, 377-383.
- Smith, P.J.S. (1995). The non-invasive probes - tools for measuring transmembrane ion flux. Nature 378:645-646.
- Shabala S.N., Newman I.A. & Morris J. (1997) Oscillations in H+ and Ca2+ ion fluxes around the elongation region of corn roots and effects of external pH. Plant Physiology 113, 111-118.
- Xu Y, Sun T, Yin LP (2006). Application of non-invasive microsensing system to simultaneously measure both H+ and O2 fluxes around the pollen tube. J Integr Plant Biol 48(7):823-831
- Marshall Porterfield(2007), Measuring metabolism and biophysical flux in the tissue, cellular and sub-cellular domains: Recent developments in self-referencing amperometry for physiological sensing, Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Volume 22, Issue 7, 15 February 2007, Pages 1186-1196, ISSN 0956-5663
- Hawkins BJ, et al.A comparison of ammonium, nitrate and proton net fluxes along seedling roots of Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine grown and measured with different inorganic nitrogen sources. Plant, Cell & Environment.2008, 31(3): 278–287.
- Nemchinov LG, et al. Calcium efflux as a component of the hypersensitive tesponse of Nicotiana benthamiana to Pseudomonas syringae. Plant Cell and Physiology, 2008, 49(1): 40-46.
- Ramos AC, et al. A pH signaling mechanism involved in the spatial distribution of calcium and anion fluxes in ectomycorrhizal roots. New Phytologist, 2009, 181(2): 448–462.
- Sun J, et al. NaCl-induced alternations of cellular and tissue ion fluxes in roots of salt-resistant and salt-sensitive poplar species. Plant Physiology, 2009, 149: 1141 - 1153.
- Sun J, et al. H2O2 and cytosolic Ca2+ signals triggered by the PM H+-coupled transport system mediate K+/Na+ homeostasis in NaCl-stressed Populus euphratica cells. Plant, Cell and Environment, 2010, 33: 943 - 958.
- Jeworutzki E, et al. Early signaling through the Arabidopsis pattern recognition receptors FLS2 and EFR involves Ca2+-associated opening of plasma membrane anion channels.The Plant Journal.2010,62(3):367–378.
- Alavian KN et al.Bcl xL regulates metabolic ef ciency of neurons through interaction with the mitochondrial F1F0 ATP synthase. Nature Cell Biology, 2011, 13(10): 1224-1233.
- Michard E, et al. Glutamate receptor–like genes form Ca2+ channels in pollen tubes and are regulated by pistil D-serine. Science, 2011, 332(6028): 434-437.
- Laohavisit A, et al. Arabidopsis annexin1 mediates the radical-activated plasma membrane Ca2+- and K+-permeable conductance in root cells. Plant Cell, 2012, 24(4): 1522-1533.
- Li J, et al. Paxillus involutus strains MAJ and NAU mediate K+/Na+ homeostasis in ectomycorrhizal Populus × canescens under NaCl stress. Plant Physiology, May 2012 pp.112.195370
Workshops&Visiting Research
Recognizing NMT belongs to hands-on technology, the more you learn from the experts, the better you can take advantage of its unique features to enhance your research. So, YoungerUSA initiated two types of platforms to help you to make a better use of NMT.
- NMT Workshops (YG-NMTW)
- Visiting S...
Research Services
- Easy: Samples cultivated in our center
- Efficient: Fast data turn around
- Economic: Equipment, labors... saved
Finally you got the genes/proteins or any biological materials that you have spent a lot of time to work with. Now, you want to know their functions, especially phy...