title: Optical recordings of membrane potential using genetically targeted voltage-sensitive fluorescent proteins.
abstract: Optical imaging of electrical activity using voltage-sensitive dyes has been envisaged for many years as a powerful method to investigate multineuronal representation of information processing in brain tissue. This article describes the advent of novel genetically targeted voltage-sensitive fluorescent proteins. This new class of membrane voltage sensors overcomes previous limitations related to the nonselective staining of membranes associated with conventional voltage-sensitive dyes. Here, we discuss the methodology, applications, and potential advantages of this novel technique.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Neuronal Circuit Dynamics, Brain Science Institute, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan. knopfel@brain.riken.go.jp
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Knöpfel
authors.forename: Kayo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tomita
authors.forename: Ranken
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shimazaki
authors.forename: Rieko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sakai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002460:Cell Line; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006801:Humans; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D015221:Potassium Channels; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins