Applications of capillary electrophoresis and laser-induced fluorescence detection to the analysis of trace species: From single cells to single molecules

This Ph.D. Thesis describes several separation and detection schemes for the analysis of small volume and amount of samples, such as intracellular components and single enzymes developed during research. Indirect Laser-induced fluorescence detection and capillary electrophoresis were used to quantify lactate and pyruvate in single red blood cells. The assay of specific enzyme activities was achieved by monitoring the highly fluorescent enzymatic reaction product, NADH. LDH activity was found not to be a unique marker for diagnosis of leukemia. Reactions of single LDH-1 molecules were investigated by monitoring the reaction product with LIF detection