The detection and sequencing of peptides below the one picomole level is expected to establish new fields of research in the biological and medical sciences. RESIFT, Inc. plans to help open these new fields of research with an innovative instrument which promises femtomole and even attomole sensitivities. The instrument is similar to a mass spectrometer but instrumentally is much simpler. The work described here will be contingent on completion of this prototype instrument by RESIFT, Inc. This research will utilize known neuropeptides and specimens form neuropharmacological studies to determine the optimal parameters for sample introduction, molecular ion formation, fragmentation, and detect read out n order to determine the molecular weight and amino acid sequences of the neuropeptides. The studies concern the demonstration of he instrument's capabilities to detect, identify, and sequence known purified peptides present in neuronal tissue and released after electrical stimulation of rat sensory fibers into the perfusate of rat spinal cord slice preparation. The success of this research will provide considerable impetus to marketing instruments based upon the prototype.
