Abstract: A method is provided for in vivo detection of a biochemical substance in an animal by culturing neurofluocytes that stably express a receptor of the biochemical substances by transfecting cells with cDNA of the receptor and a tag that will emit a detectable energy in the presence of the biochemical substance, implanting the neurofluocyte into the animal's brain; and detecting the energy emission of the tag. In a first embodiment, the biochemical substance is a neurotransmitter, the tag is a fluophore, and the step of detecting includes forming an opening in the animal's skull and optically detecting fluorescent emissions using a two-photon laser scanning microscope. Multiple biochemical substances can be simultaneously detected by culturing neurofluocytes that express different receptors and have different fluophor tags that produce fluorescent signals at distinguishable wavelengths.

Abstract: A method is provided for in vivo detection of a biochemical substance in an animal by culturing neurofluocytes that stably express a receptor of the biochemical substances by transfecting cells with cDNA of the receptor and a tag that will emit a detectable energy in the presence of the biochemical substance, implanting the neurofluocyte into the animal's brain; and detecting the energy emission of the tag. In a first embodiment, the biochemical substance is a neurotransmitter, the tag is a fluophore, and the step of detecting includes forming an opening in the animal's skull and optically detecting fluorescent emissions using a two-photon laser scanning microscope. Multiple biochemical substances can be simultaneously detected by culturing neurofluocytes that express different receptors and have different fluophor tags that produce fluorescent signals at distinguishable wavelengths.