Genetics is a molecular technology used to regulate light controlled gene expression, protein localization, signal transduction and protein-protein interaction. Cardiac optogenetics is a new research field. It refers to the delivery of light sensitive protein (opsin) to excitable heart tissue to realize the optical regulation of cardiac function. The optical combination of optogenetics with voltage or calcium fluorescence probes promotes the precise optical control of heart tissue. This rapidly developing technology has wide application value in clinical and basic research. Compared with conventional electrical methods, the application of optogenetics to the heart has the advantages of specific targeted regulation, strong operability and less damage.

At present, optogenetics is mainly used in cardiac, cerebral electrophysiology and other fields. In the future, through in-depth research, it can be used in cardiac defibrillation, regulating cerebral nerve activity and so on.

Optogenetic Tools for Cardiac Research

Optogenetics mainly uses light to change the ion permeability on both sides of the cell membrane. When neurons are in a resting state, there is a potential difference between the two sides of the cell membrane, that is, resting potential.

The generation of resting potential is due to the uneven distribution of various ions inside and outside the membrane and the different permeability of cell membrane to various ions under different conditions. When neurons are stimulated and excited, an extended potential change occurs on the basis of resting potential, which is called action potential. For example, neurons are transferred into membrane channel protein [Channel - rhodopsin-2 (ChR2) or halorhodopsin (NpHR)]. When irradiated with 473 nm blue laser, the channel of ChR2 channel protein is opened, allowing a large amount of cation (Na⁺) to flow in, generating action potential, that is, leaving neurons in an excited state. When irradiated with 580 nm yellow laser, the channel of NpHR channel protein is opened to allow Cl^- to pass through, so that the neurons are always in the resting potential, that is, the neurons remain in the resting state.

Achievable Missions at Creative BioMart

Creative BioMart has mastered and developed a variety of optical switching systems for Cardiac Electrophysiology. We have the ability to provide the construction services of cell lines, expression systems and model organisms.

Study on cardiac electrical activity

Cardiac electrical activity is the product of the elaborate arrangement system of cells with different functions and spatial distribution in the heart. Due to the lack of in vivo, independent and high spatio-temporal resolution tools to selectively manipulate them, the role of these different structures under normal and pathological conditions cannot be fully understood. Photogenetics provides a potential solution for genetic modification of mammalian cells and tissues through microbial opsin (optically gated ion channels and pumps). This new method allows cell selective and spatiotemporal precise optical control of biological functions, including manipulation of membrane voltage, intracellular concentration, receptor control, gene expression and so on. Health and disease.

Expression of opsin in cardiomyocytes and tissues

We generate photosensitive heart tissue for the client in two ways: (1) through direct genetic modification of some (or all) cardiomyocytes or (2) through cell delivery, that is, the introduction of opsin expressing cells (i.e. stem cells or fibroblasts) can bind to natural cardiomyocytes through gap junctions.

Expression of opsin in cardiac fibroblasts

Cardiac fibroblasts are the most numerous cell type (60-70%) in the heart. They play a key role in the occurrence of arrhythmia during myocardial remodeling after injury. Therefore, there is great interest in tools that can selectively detect fibroblast cardiomyocyte interactions.

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