Optogenetic Activation
Optogenetic Activation - Related Videos
07:18
Optogenetic Signaling Activation in Zebrafish Embryos
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Cited by 4 •
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.
08:00
Spatiotemporal Control of Protein Activity through Optogenetic Allosteric Regulation
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Cited by 1 •
2024
This protocol describes the application of an engineered blue-light-activated allosteric switch (LightR) domain for reversible spatiotemporal control of protein activity. Utilizing Src tyrosine kinase as a model, this study offers an elaborate protocol for developing and characterizing light-regulated Src (LightR-Src). It demonstrates the versatility of this approach across enzyme classes.
08:29
Optogenetic Activation of Intrinsic Cardiac Autonomic Neurons in Excised Perfused Mouse Hearts
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Cited by 1 •
2025
This protocol illustrates a method for optogenetic stimulation of intrinsic cardiac neurons in transgenic mouse hearts. The approach described is used for investigating the kinetics of sudden cardiac neuron activation in ex vivo perfused hearts and the interactions between cholinergic and catecholaminergic activity.
07:19
Bioluminescent Optogenetics 2.0: Harnessing Bioluminescence to Activate Photosensory Proteins In Vitro and In Vivo
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Cited by 11 •
2021
Bioluminescence-light emitted by a luciferase enzyme oxidizing a small-molecule substrate, a luciferin-can be harnessed to activate photosensory proteins, thereby adding another dimension to light stimulation and enabling the manipulation of a multitude of light-mediated functions in cells across temporal and spatial scales.
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.
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.