title: Spotlighted Brains: Optogenetic Activation and Silencing of Neurons.
abstract: Optogenetics is revolutionizing cell biology and neuroscience research by allowing precise biochemical control of neuronal activity through light-activated channels. Light-induced ion transporters have been used extensively for cellular activation, and now light-gated inhibitory channels have been discovered. These represent a key new tool to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology of Plants, University of Bielefeld, Universitätsstrasse 25, D-33615 Bielefeld, Germany. Electronic address: kianian@uni-bielefeld.de.
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kianianmomeni
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology of Plants, University of Bielefeld, Universitätsstrasse 25, D-33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hallmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D008027:Light; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D062308:Optogenetics
keywords: Channelrhodopsins; Optical neuronal silencers; Optogenetics; Rhodopsin-like photoreceptors; Synthetic biology