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Cutting-edge measurement tool might shed light on cystic fibrosis

Respiratory Care Weekly, March 29, 2006

How do eletrochemical reactions of adenosine triposphate (ATP) signal cystic fibrosis (CF) and its development? Researchers don't know for sure, but a study presented at the American Chemical Society meeting showed that a new measurement tool can help shed more light on the chemical marker and its role in CF. ATP interacts as a chemical disrupter of communication between cells, says Boris Mizaikoff, an associate professor at Georgia Tech's School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and director of its Applied Sensors Lab, who presented the research.

"Before you can identify what triggers the ATP release, we must be able to quantitatively measure the released species at the cell surface," Mizaikoff said. Improved understanding of cellular communication can lead to new strategies for treating diseases, he said, and hopes that his idea of adding recessed micro- and nano-electrodes to the tip of an atomic force microscope will help doctors gather much more information about how the disease works at the cellular level.

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