PUBLICATION
Let there be light: zebrafish neurobiology and the optogenetic revolution
- Authors
- Wyart, C., and Del Bene, F.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-110603-34
- Date
- 2011
- Source
- Reviews in the Neurosciences 22(1): 121-130 (Review)
- Registered Authors
- Del Bene, Filippo, Wyart, Claire
- Keywords
- neurobiology, neuronal circuits, optogenetics, zebrafish
- MeSH Terms
-
- Light*
- Neurobiology*/trends
- Photic Stimulation
- Nerve Net/physiology
- Zebrafish*/genetics
- Animals
- Genetic Engineering*
- Neurons/physiology
- PubMed
- 21615266 Full text @ Rev. Neurosci.
Citation
Wyart, C., and Del Bene, F. (2011) Let there be light: zebrafish neurobiology and the optogenetic revolution. Reviews in the Neurosciences. 22(1):121-130.
Abstract
Optogenetics has revolutionized the toolbox arsenal that neuroscientists now possess to investigate neuronal circuit function in intact and living animals. With a combination of light emitting 'sensors' and light activated 'actuators', we can monitor and control neuronal activity with minimal perturbation and unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution. Zebrafish neuronal circuits represent an ideal system to apply an optogenetic based analysis owing to its transparency, relatively small size and amenability to genetic manipulation. In this review, we describe some of the most recent advances in the development and applications of optogenetic sensors (i.e., genetically encoded calcium indicators and voltage sensors) and actuators (i.e., light activated ion channels and ion pumps). We focus mostly on the tools that have already been successfully applied in zebrafish and on those that show the greatest potential for the future. We also describe crucial technical aspects to implement optogenetics in zebrafish including strategies to drive a high level of transgene expression in defined neuronal populations, and recent optical advances that allow the precise spatiotemporal control of sample illumination.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping