TOXI-SIM-A simulation tool for the analysis of mitochondrial and plasma membrane potentials

Heinrich J. Huber, Martin Plchut, Petronela Weisová, Heiko Düssmann, Jakub Wenus, Markus Rehm, Manus W. Ward, Jochen H.M. Prehn*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Changes in the electrochemical gradients across biological membranes are excellent indicators of pathophysiological processes, drug action, or drug toxicity. Our previous studies have utilized the potentiometric probe tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester (TMRM) to characterize changes in mitochondrial function by monitoring alterations in the mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) over time during glutamate excitotoxicity. However, fluorescently charged dyes such as TMRM respond to changes in both Δψm and the plasma membrane (Δψp) potentials making whole cell fluorescence data difficult to interpret. Here we have implemented a mathematical model that exploits the Nernstian behaviour of TMRM and uses automated Newton based root-finding fitting (TOXI-SIM) to model changes in TMRM fluorescence from multiple cells simultaneously, providing output on changes in Δψm and Δψp over time. Based on Ca2+ responses, TOXI-SIM allows for an accurate modelling of TMRM traces for different injury paradigms (necrosis, apoptosis, tolerance). TOXI-SIM is provided as a user friendly public web service for trace analysis, with an additional online data base provided for the storage and retrieval of experimental traces (http://systemsbiology.rcsi.ie/tmrm/index.html).

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)270-275
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of neuroscience methods
Volume176
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 30 2009
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Bioenergetics
  • Excitotoxicity
  • Glutamate
  • Mathematical modelling
  • Mitochondrial membrane potential
  • Plasma membrane potential

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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