Optogenetics, the intersection between physics and neuroscience: light stimulation of neurons in physiological conditions.
Author: Deng W1, Goldys EM1, Farnham MM2, Pilowsky PM3.
Affiliation:
1Physics and Astronomy Department, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; and. 2Heart Research Institute and Sydney University, Sydney, Australia. 3Heart Research Institute and Sydney University, Sydney, Australia paul.pilowsky@hri.org.au.
Conference/Journal: Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol.
Date published: 2014 Dec 1
Other:
Volume ID: 307 , Issue ID: 11 , Pages: R1292-302 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00072.2014. , Word Count: 134
Neuronal stimulation by light is a novel approach in the emerging field of optogenetics, where genetic engineering is used to introduce light-activated channels. However, light is also capable of stimulating neurons even in the absence of genetic modifications through a range of physical and biological mechanisms. As a result, rigorous design of optogenetic experiments needs to take note of alternative and parallel effects of light illumination of neuronal tissues. Thus all matters relating to light penetration are critical to the development of studies using light-activated proteins. This paper discusses ways to quantify light, light penetration in tissue, as well as light stimulation of neurons in physiological conditions. We also describe the direct effect of light on neurons investigated at different sites.
Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.
KEYWORDS:
light stimulation; neurons; optogenetics; physiological conditions
PMID: 25274906
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