Using light to manipulate neurons

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    Light Neurons
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the use of light to manipulate neurons, particularly through the mechanisms of optogenetics. Participants explore the functionality of light-activated proteins like ChR2 and halorhodopsin (NpHR) in neuronal activity, as well as their implications for modeling neuronal dynamics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes the function of halorhodopsin (NpHR) in neurons, noting its role in hyperpolarizing cells in response to yellow light, effectively silencing them.
  • Another participant questions the relationship between this topic and optogenetics, indicating they are new to the subject.
  • A third participant confirms the connection to optogenetics and references a specific paper by Deisseroth, who coined the term.
  • One participant mentions examining the Morris Lecar model and suggests that optogenetic technology could facilitate testing of nonlinear dynamics and help identify reasonable parameter ranges.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the relevance of optogenetics to the discussion, but there are varying levels of familiarity with the topic, and the implications of the technology for modeling neuronal behavior remain open for exploration.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the applicability of optogenetics to various models of neuronal dynamics are not fully explored, and the discussion includes references to specific research papers without resolving the complexities of the models mentioned.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in neuroscience, optogenetics, and mathematical modeling of neuronal dynamics may find this discussion relevant.

Pythagorean
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neat trick:

http://www.hhmi.org/bulletin/may2010/features/moves3.html

If ChR2 is a blue activator, halorhodopsin (NpHR) is a yellow silencer. It was discovered in Natronobacterium pharaonis, a bacterium isolated from a high-alkaline, high-salt lake in Egypt. In the bacterium, the light-driven NpHR channels pump chloride ions into the cell, a flow that ultimately helps drive the synthesis of ATP, the cell's biochemical fuel. Transferred into neurons, however, these channels respond to yellow light by hyperpolarizing the cells, effectively silencing them.
 
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absolutely, we could probably merge the threads.

Deisseroth, who came up with the term optogenetics, was featured along side Lim and Scanziani in the HHMI article I picked this up from.
Here's Deisseroth's original paper:

http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/26/41/10380
 
I'm currently examining the Morris Lecar model, which still seems to have a lot of open parameters in it. It seems this kind of technology would make testing the consequences of the coupled nonlinear dynamics much, much easier and may even provide insight to reasonable parameter ranges.