Optogenetics

Question 1

What is optogenetics?

Answer 1

A technique in neuroscience in which genes for light-sensitive proteins are introduced into specific types of brain cells in order to monitor and control their activity precisely using light signals

Question 2

What are the cell targets for optogenetics?

Answer 2

ganglion cells, bipolar cells, or non-functional cones

Question 3

What are the advantages and challenges of optogenetics?

Answer 3

advantages:
- for people who have lost all or most of their vision, it works independently of genes that are mutated, can use AAV technology, already in clinical trials

Challenges:
-some genes produce microbial proteins which require very bright light, proteins must process light quickly to avoid blurring, if you’re using bipolar or ganglion cells you have to compensate for way more photoreceptors, unclear how much vision actually will be restored

Question 4

What is the significance of light-sensitive proteins that come from algae?

Answer 4

Fast, cells refresh quickly, but they require very bright light