Question: How can in situ hybridization be used to identify neurons that secrete non-peptide transmitters?
And I responded with:
Non-peptide transmitters still contain a specific mRNA sequence that can be recognized by in situ hybridization assays. Under such a condition, it is assumed that the non-peptide transmitter has been translated, and moreover, post-translationally modified to produce a functional non-peptide protein/transmitter. The neurons that excrete a specific neurotransmitter of this nature can be recognized by a given target or label, which corresponds to a specific mRNA sequence of that neuron.
BY WHICH I RECEIVED “Sure all cells contain specific mRNAs that can be probed, but if the transmitter is not a protein, then which mRNAs indicate its presence?”