Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 8
Controlling Behavior Using Light to Excite
and Silence Neuronal Activity
Ali Cetin and Shoji Komai
Abstract
The number of reports involving the new tools of optogenetics is
increasing exponentially to yield detailed insights into anatomical, physiological,
and pathological issues. These tools help us to tackle major questions regarding the
function of neural circuits in the mammalian brain, which possesses uncountable
combinations of neurons. Moreover, rapid progress in diverse collaborations
between optogenetics and optical imaging technologies will allow us to analyze,
simultaneously, the activities of multiple neurons and glial cells. As well as activity
analysis, optogenetics is developing rapidly to support the analysis of stimulation in
neuronal function. We can now stimulate multiple cell types independently using
selective molecular tools, such as promoters and gene delivery systems. In addition,
optical properties also help us to discriminate among subpopulations of cells in
neuronal networks. The use of light to study the brain has proved to be a remarkably
fruitful strategy, and indeed optogenetics has given us a green light for the future.
Keywords
Behavioral control Gene delivery strategies Neuronal activity
Optogenetics Rhodopsin
8.1
Introduction
Optogenetics has been applied to various neurobiological questions to elucidate in
detail the mechanisms underlying behavior. Optogenetics was established in 2006
by Karl Deisseroth and colleagues, who expressed a photoactivatable protein called
