| Understanding the complex biological mechanisms that regulate the function of the brain and central nervous system (CNS) represents a daunting task for life science and drug discovery researchers. The processes underlying the development of the CNS, how we sense and react to our environment and why we suffer from neurodegenerative diseases, are all dictated by cascades of biomolecular interactions. These processes are mediated by a variety of signalling molecules; how and where these molecules interact with their targets is a fundamental focus of research. Therefore new technologies based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR), designed specifically for the study of biomolecular binding events, can be powerful and key tools in neuroscience. Indeed, they are already bringing major benefits to research areas such as nerve cell growth, the connections they make with other nerve cells, the way in which messages are communicated and their response to endogenous and exogenous agents.
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