Characterizing the Catecholamine Content of Single Mammalian Vesicles by Collision-Adsorption Events at an Electrode

We present the electrochemical response to single adrenal chromaffin vesicles filled with catecholamine hormones as they are adsorbed and rupture on a 33 mu m diameter disk-shaped carbon electrode. The vesicles adsorb onto the electrode surface and sequentially spread out over the electrode surface, trapping their contents against the electrode. These contents are then oxidized, and a current (or amperometric) peak results from each vesicle that bursts. A large number of current transients associated with rupture of single vesicles (86%) are observed under the experimental conditions used, allowing us to quantify the vesicular catecholamine content.