# Fluorescent visualization of complement-dependent pannexin activity in microglia

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER · 2020 · $17,900

## Abstract

Abstract
The goal of this project is fluorescently visualize ATP release and extracellular accumulation at the surface of
stimulated microglia. The development of this innovative technology has the potential to enable spatiotemporal
imaging of microglial extracellular signaling. For this project, I am exploiting the presence of the cell's
glycocalyx to attach ATP-sensitive biosensors at the sites of ATP accumulation. There are two aims to this
project: 1) to synthesize a novel, polyhistidine binding moiety that covalently modifies the glycocalyces of living
cells and binds recombinant biosensors to measure ion and metabolite efflux and accumulation; 2) to visualize
and measure ATP release from pannexin channels in C5a stimulated microglia. The completion of these aims
will yield a transformative set of chemical-biological tools and methodologies to investigate the physiology and
pathophysiology of pannexin-dependent activity in glia, and potentially in living animals.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9930684
- **Project number:** 5F31NS108578-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Daniel Armon Gutierrez
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $17,900
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-01 → 2021-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9930684

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9930684, Fluorescent visualization of complement-dependent pannexin activity in microglia (5F31NS108578-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9930684. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*