Antibody L1 ejected from a micropipette identifies neurons without altering electrical activity.

Antibody L1 which reacts specifically with the cell surface of central nervous system neurons was pressure ejected from a micropipette into the vicinity of a cultured neuron, or applied to the bathing fluid during intracellular recording of activity. No alterations in membrane potential, shape of action potential, firing rates and postsynaptic activities were observed. Binding of antibody was observed by indirect immunofluorescence after injection of Lucifer Yellow. Bath application of antibody resulted in a uniform neuronal staining over the entire culture, whereas pressure ejected antibodies were limited to neuronal structures within about 200 micron of the cell recorded from. Live, L1 antigen-positive neurons could be identified by indirect immunofluorescence prior to recording.