Molecular genetic techniques (DNA isolation from blood, PCR, RFLP, SNP, detection of mutations, identification of promoters, gene walking methods) Cell culture (HEK cells, primary SCG and CNS neurons, NT2 cells, SF9 cells) Generation of nACh and GABAA receptor subunit-specific antibodies Immunoaffinity chromatography, immunoprecipitation, Western blot, ELISA Molecular Biology (cloning, sequencing, mutagenesis, qRT-PCR, 5race, recombinant receptors, fusion proteins, two hybrid system) Receptor binding techniques, binding pharmacology Transport activity studies (uptake and release assays) Transmitter release from cultures and brain slices Electrophysiology of ionotropic receptors (Xenopus oocytes, HEK cells, primary SCG and hippocampal neurons) Fura-2 calcium imaging Establishing and culturing cell lines stably expressing cloned membrane proteins Flow cytometry HPLC with electrochemical or fluorescence detection of neurotransmitters Electrophysiology (patch-clamp) Stereotaxic injections Slice autoradiography Subregional dissection of the human brain Immunocytochemistry, confocal laser microscopy, FRET Biochemistry (subcellular fractionation, density gradient centrifugation, affinity chromatography)
