Determination of glutathione in single human hepatocarcinoma cells by capillary electrophoresis with electrochemical detection

A method for determination of glutathione (GSH) in single human hepatocarcinoma (HH) cells was described by capillary zone electrophoresis with electrochemical detection at a gold/mercury amalgam micro-disk electrode. When HH cells were washed with the running buffer instead of physiological buffer saline, only one electrophoretic peak for GSH is depicted on the electropherograms of single HH cells. When electroosmotic injection of 0.01 mol/l NaOH for lysing the cell introduced into the capillary, the lysis time can be shorten to 5 s. The whole cell injection and no need of derivatization reaction lead more accurate and precise results. The average amount of GSH in an individual HH cell is 22.3+/-5.8 fmol (mean+/-standard deviation), which is consistent with that of its homogenate.