Determination of glutamate by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection in superfusates of rat brain preparations.

A method is described for the determination of glutamate in superfusates of cortical or hippocampal rat brain slices. This method is based on the precolumn derivatization of amino acids with orthopthaldialdehyde and mercaptopropionic acid, separation by high-performance liquid chromatography, and detection by fluorescence. By adjusting the concentrations of reagents and with the minimum dilution of the sample, it was possible to reproducibly measure the Ca2+-dependent K+-evoked release of neurotransmitter glutamate in superfusates of brain slices.