Optogenetic Activation
Optogenetic Activation - Related Videos
06:06
Optogenetic Functional MRI
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Cited by 15 •
2016
This protocol describes the steps and data analysis required to successfully perform optogenetic functional magnetic resonance imaging (ofMRI). ofMRI is a novel technique that combines high-field fMRI readout with optogenetic stimulation, allowing for cell type-specific mapping of functional neural circuits and their dynamics across the whole living brain.
07:07
Optogenetic Perturbation of Neural Activity with Laser Illumination in Semi-intact Drosophila Larvae in Motion
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Cited by 13 •
2013
Here we describe a protocol for optogenetic manipulation of motoneuronal activity while monitoring changes in motor output (muscle contraction) in semi-intact Drosophila larvae using lasers within a conventional confocal microscope. This technique enables researchers to achieve local perturbation of neural activity in a few neuromeres to elucidate the dynamics of motor circuits.
07:18
Optogenetic Signaling Activation in Zebrafish Embryos
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Cited by 3 •
2023
Optogenetic manipulation of signaling pathways can be a powerful strategy to investigate how signaling is decoded in development, regeneration, homeostasis, and disease. This protocol provides practical guidelines for using light-oxygen-voltage sensing domain-based Nodal and bone morphogenic protein (BMP) signaling activators in the early zebrafish embryo.
10:45
Simultaneous Electroencephalography, Real-time Measurement of Lactate Concentration and Optogenetic Manipulation of Neuronal Activity in the Rodent Cerebral Cortex
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Cited by 20 •
2012
A procedure is described for manipulating the activity of cerebral cortical pyramidal neurons optogenetically while the electroencephalogram, electromyogram, and cerebral lactate concentration are monitored. Experimental recordings are performed on cable-tethered mice while they undergo spontaneous sleep/wake cycles. Optogenetic equipment is assembled in our laboratory; recording equipment is commercially available.
00:04
Zebrafish Optogenetics: Activating Genetically Modified Somatosensory Neuron to Study Larval Behavioral Responses
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2023
This video describes optogenetic techniques by activating genetically modified somatosensory neurons and recording elicited behavioral response with a high-speed video camera.
FAQs
The opsin’s molecular class determines how illumination changes a target cell’s electrical state. Light-gated ion channels can alter membrane potential through ion movement, whereas light-activated pumps modify the same variable through transport activity. This distinction helps investigators choose an actuator suited to whether they need cellular excitation or suppression.
An opsin responds to an appropriate wavelength, so wavelength selection determines whether the introduced protein changes the target cell’s membrane potential. Matching the light to the opsin makes stimulation controllable and helps distinguish light-driven cellular effects from unrelated experimental conditions. This requirement is central to reliable control of signaling in living biological systems.
Control comes from combining where the light-sensitive protein is introduced with when and where illumination is applied. Target-cell expression restricts the responsive population, while timed illumination changes activity during selected moments. Together, these features let researchers examine rapid cellular signaling and relate activity in defined cells to broader physiological or behavioral outcomes.
A typical experiment introduces a microbial opsin into selected cells, identifies an illumination condition that activates that protein, and then exposes the target cells to light while monitoring the resulting biological response. Researchers can compare excitation or suppression with changes in cellular signaling, physiology, behavior, or disease-related activity, depending on the biological model.
The method can be applied to neurons, muscle cells, and other excitable tissues in living organisms. By controlling these populations selectively, researchers can investigate neural circuits, muscle physiology, and signaling processes that depend on cellular activity. Its use across these systems makes it relevant to both basic biology and studies of abnormal activity.
Controlled stimulation helps researchers test whether a particular cell population contributes to behavior, physiology, or disease. In neural research, it can connect defined cellular activity with circuit function, while in broader biology it can reveal how signaling changes affect excitable tissues. The same precision also supports investigation of potential therapies for disorders involving abnormal cellular activity.