Optogenetics
Stimulation & Interrogation of Neuronal Activity
- Neurons in different brain areas coordinate both cognitive and instinctive behavior. To understand their causal function the activity of specific neurons is manipulated while observing the effect.
- Fiberless gives better results than the classical approach with inserted fibers as those create tissue damage and change or restrict natural behaviour.
- To activate neurons visible light particles in the blue and green wavelength range are needed, however those can not penetrate tissue well. Therefore micro particles are used to convert NIR to visible light in the brain.
- Fiberless optogenetics can control neuronal activity in freely moving animals over several weeks.
- Another approach stimulates neurons in the brain exposing them to NIR radiation from an inserted optical fiber.
- An increase of calcium concentration in the exposed areas is considered to result from synaptic activity.
- Therefore calcium imaging could be used to study neural activity.
Suitable Products
LuOcean Diode Lasers
LuOcean Driver + Cooling
