Optogenetics: “Lighting” The Way to New Medical Breakthroughs

At the Univeristy of West Texas A&M, I took a neuroscience class that left me with one concept that has always intrigued me. That being the emerging field of optogenetics. Optogenetics is a research tool that is used to map neurons. By inserting light sensitive proteins (options) into specific cells, scientists can activate or silence these neurons by using flashes of different colors/wavelengths of light. For example, a channelrhodphsin will respond to blue light, causing a neuron to depolarized and fire and action potential. Meanwhile a halorhodopsin will respond to yellow light, hyperpolarizing neurons and effectively shutting them down. This allows for a level of precision that cannot be achieved through traditional methods such as chemical or electrical stimulation (Deisseroth, 2015). 

Recent research in optogenetics shows how this technology could be used to treat many issues such as neurological disorders, cardiac disorders, chronic pain, and even metabolism conditions (Deisseroth, 2015). Because optogenetics can precisely activate or inhibit individual neural circuits, it may even allow for new treatments of Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy. One study shows how optogenetics activation of specific basal ganglia pathways restored motor functions in parkinsonian animal models (Deisseroth, 2015). 

Optogenetics could also be used to make a new form of pacemaker. Traditional pacemakers use metal leads that can irritate tissue over time. Optogenetics gives us the opportunity to bypass metal leads and use “optical pacing”, which uses light to trigger cardiac depolarization. One study showed that cardiomyocytes that had channelrhodopsins were able to be paced reliably with patterned light. Allowing for stable and natural contractions while reducing the risks of metal electrical leads (Joshi et al, 2020). 

This is just a glimpse of what the future could hold for optogenetics, and using light to save lives. Shout out Dr. Karaganis for introducing me to this technology. In Dr. K’s neuroscience lecture, he taught us that the two famous neuroscientists Francis and Crick, were credited with the idea that light could be used to activate and control neurons in animals. Dr. K discussed that one advantage of using optogenetics in studies is that you can use fiber optic cables (which is essentially glued to the animals skull) to shine light and activate ion channels. 

This allows us allows us to see the animal move and study behavior, which is not possible using traditional research methods such as patch clamping, or sharp electrodes (S. Karagins, personal communication, November 4, 2024).

Deisseroth, K. (2015). Optogenetics: 10 years of microbial opsins in neuroscience. Nature Neuroscience, 18(9), 1213–1225. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4790845/

Joshi J, Rubart M, Zhu W. Optogenetics: Background, Methodological Advances and Potential Applications for Cardiovascular Research and Medicine. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2020 Jan 29;7:466. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00466. PMID: 32064254; PMCID: PMC7000355.