Optogenetics

Phillip Williams,Steven Wong

doi:10.5206/uwomj.v84i1.4344

Abstract

The nature of the brain presents many challenges to its study, from the intricacy of its structure to the minute timescale at which it functions. Traditional research techniques, such as electrophysiological manipulation and pharmacologic intervention, are limited by their inability to operate with both high temporal and spatial resolution. Optogenetics is a novel technology that provides unparalleled specificity in this regard. It allows for control of neural activity with high temporospatial resolution in a manner that does not disrupt the normal physiology of the system. It is an elegant research tool that uses light to control the electrical activity of genetically defined neuron populations with millisecond precision in systems as complex as freely moving live animals. First demonstrated in 2005, it was identified by Nature as the Scientific Method of the Year in 2010 and is currently used by thousands of labs across the world. It has already yielded new discoveries in a variety of neuroscience subfields and will undoubtedly continue to do so. The technology currently exists in a basic science capacity, but has potential for therapeutic application. It is not without its own limitations, but has advantages over more crude alternatives and has proven to be a powerful tool in the hand of the neuroscientist.

Highlights

The nature of the brain presents many challenges to its study, from the intricacy of its structure to the minute timescale at which it functions
The human brain is the most intricate organ in the body and has been referred to as “the most complex object in the known universe.”[1]. A recent estimate put the number of neurons in the human brain at 86 billion[2] with each neuron forming hundreds, if not thousands, of individual connections through which they communicate on the millisecond scale
The recent development of a research tool known as optogenetics provides an ideal example of such innovation

Summary

Introduction

The nature of the brain presents many challenges to its study, from the intricacy of its structure to the minute timescale at which it functions. It was speculated on by Francis Crick as far back as 1979,6 it was only first demonstrated in 2005.7,8 Since the lab of Karl Deisseroth at Stanford University has published extensively on the topic[9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17] and optogenetics has spread to thousands of labs across the world.[18] It is an elegant technique that uses light to control the activity of genetically engineered neurons and has significant advantages over its more crude alternatives.

Results

Conclusion