title: Optogenetic control of nerve growth.
abstract: Due to the limited regenerative ability of neural tissue, a diverse set of biochemical and biophysical cues for increasing nerve growth has been investigated, including neurotrophic factors, topography, and electrical stimulation. In this report, we explore optogenetic control of neurite growth as a cell-specific alternative to electrical stimulation. By investigating a broad range of optical stimulation parameters on dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) expressing channelrhodopsin 2 (ChR2), we identified conditions that enhance neurite outgrowth by three-fold as compared to unstimulated or wild-type (WT) controls. Furthermore, optogenetic stimulation of ChR2 expressing DRGs induces directional outgrowth in WT DRGs co-cultured within a 10 mm vicinity of the optically sensitive ganglia. This observed enhancement and polarization of neurite growth was accompanied by an increased expression of neural growth and brain derived neurotrophic factors (NGF, BDNF). This work highlights the potential for implementing optogenetics to drive nerve growth in specific cell populations.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States [2] Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
authors.forename: Seongjun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
authors.forename: Ryan A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Koppes
authors.affiliation: 1] Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States [2] Simons Center for the Social Brain, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
authors.forename: Ulrich P
authors.initials: UP
authors.lastname: Froriep
authors.affiliation: 1] Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States [2] Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
authors.forename: Xiaoting
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, 555 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States.
authors.forename: Anil Kumar H
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Achyuta
authors.affiliation: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, 555 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States.
authors.forename: Bryan L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
authors.affiliation: 1] Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States [2] Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
authors.forename: Polina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Anikeeva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D000075402:Channelrhodopsins; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D015870:Gene Expression; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D008027:Light; D051379:Mice; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D016501:Neurites / Q000502:physiology; D055495:Neurogenesis; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D000075402:Channelrhodopsins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors