What Is Optogenetics and How Can We Use It to Discover More About the Brain?

Abstract

How does the brain work? This is a question that scientists have been interested in for hundreds of years. In order to figure out how the brain works, scientists have had to do lots of experiments and figure out ways to examine and test the brain. In 2005, a new technique was created, called optogenetics. This technique uses a combination of light and genetic engineering (changing the genetic information of a living thing by inserting or deleting information in the genetic code) to control the cells of the brain. Optogenetics has become very popular and is now being used in brain research laboratories all over the world. It is helping us to discover many new things about the brain. Here, we explain what makes optogenetics so special for studying the brain.Special cells in the brain and nervous system, called neurons, work together to produce all of our thoughts and behaviors. In order to understand how the brain controls behavior, we need to understand how neurons communicate. The human brain is very complex, but many of the properties of the human

Application of Fluorescence Microscopy and Behavioral Assays to Demonstrating Neuronal Connectomes and Neurotransmitter Systems in C. elegans

“…In optogenetics, genes are modified to produce specialized membrane-bound proteins called opsins (Gprotein coupled receptor also referred to as actuators derived from microbial species), which are light sensitive. The most widely used opsin is the "Channelrhodopsin-2" (ChR-2); this is typically responsive to blue light, though there exists a rarely used subtype which is responsive to green light [71][72][73][74].…”

Mathematical modeling of neurovascular coupling

“…Neurovascular Coupling 2 (ChR2) [149], opens when blue light illuminates the channel but does not respond to any other stimulation (e.g., different wavelength, electrical stimulation). Thus, the neuron can be excited through the use of light pulses [150]. Typically, the channel is selectively expressed in a targeted subset of neurons, through the use of viral transduction methods (such as in [88,92,96]).…”

“…C: Blue light opens the ChR2 channel, evoking a neuronal response in those neurons that express ChR2. Image taken from[150], with permission.…”