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Optogenetics

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Encyclopedia of Computational Neuroscience

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Definition

Optogenetic tools are a broad class of genetically engineered proteins activated or inactivated by light of an appropriate wavelength. These include activators, such as the Channelrhodopsins, and suppressors, such as the Halorhodopsins and Archaerhodopsins, along with other variants.

Detailed Description

Microbial Opsins

Many of the optogenetic tools currently in use in mammalian systems are derived from microbial opsins. These generally incorporate light-sensing and ion flux components in the same protein, as in Bacteriorhodopsin (Oesterhelt and Stoeckenius 1971), Channelrhodopsin-1 (ChR1) and Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) (Nagel et al. 2002, 2003), and Halorhodopsin (eNpHR) (Gradinaru et al. 2008; Han and Boyden 2007; Zhang et al. 2007). In response to light stimulation, the Channelrhodopsins undergo conformational changes and allow nonspecific cation flow, resulting in depolarization and increased action potential output (Bamann et al. 2010; Hegemann et al. 2005; Kato et al. 2012...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurobiology and Kavli Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

    Dr. Jessica A. Cardin

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  1. Dr. Jessica A. Cardin
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Correspondence to Jessica A. Cardin .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Dieter Jaeger

  2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA

    Ranu Jung

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Cardin, J.A. (2014). Optogenetics. In: Jaeger, D., Jung, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Computational Neuroscience. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7320-6_524-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7320-6_524-1

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-7320-6

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