Light-driven control of neurons in vitro and in vivo

该提案的长期目标是开发和测试新的光学技术 用于神经功能的光化学控制。笼子里的神经递质产生了 我们以前制作的已经被世界各地的许多研究小组广泛使用 世界。我们工作的一个重要特点是，我们建立了长期的合作 与著名生理学家的关系。这些互动是至关重要的 作为生物问题的有用和重要笼状化合物的开发 它们定义了探测器。在这项建议中，我们寻求解决该领域的几个主要差距。 用于神经元的光化学探测的光化学方法 功能。即：多色光驱动不是一种标准技术；笼子 化合物事先不是为双光子激发而设计的。用于治疗的光可逆药物 “下一代”(光)药理学；基因靶向的光开关，亚单位 用于控制行为的特定探测器。这项提案的总体目标是开发新的 光化学工具，允许对各种神经元信号进行光学控制 在体外和体内的过程。

The long term goal of proposal is the development and testing of new optical technology for photochemical control of neuronal function. The caged neurotransmitters developed we have previously made have been widely used by many research groups around the world. An important feature of our work is that we have forged long-term collaborative relationships with noted physiologists. These interactions have been vital the development of useful and important caged compounds as it is the biological problems that define the probes. In this proposal we seek to address several major gaps in the area of optical chemical methods that are used for photochemical probing of neuronal function. Namely: multi-color photoactuation is not a standard technique; caged compounds are not designed for 2-photon excitation a priori. Photoreversible drugs for “next generation” (opto)pharmacology; genetically targeted photoswitchable, subunit specific probes to control behavior. The overall goal of this proposal is to develop new photochemical tools that allow optical control of a wide variety neuronal signaling processes in vitro and in vivo.