Nature Methods
- 4, 139 - 141 (2006)
Published online: 31 December 2006; | doi:10.1038/nmeth988
Optical induction of synaptic plasticity using a light-sensitive channelYan-Ping Zhang & Thomas G Oertner
Friedrich Miescher Institute, Novartis Research Foundation, Maulbeerstr. 66, WRO-1066.4.04, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland.
Correspondence should be addressed to Thomas G Oertner thomas.oertner@fmi.ch We have combined millisecond activation of channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2), a light-gated ion channel, with two-photon calcium imaging to investigate active synaptic contacts in rat hippocampal slice cultures. Calcium influx was larger during light-induced action potentials than during action potentials induced by somatic current injection, leading to highly reproducible synaptic transmission. Pairing of light stimulation with postsynaptic depolarization induced long-term potentiation, making this technique ideal for genetic and pharmacological dissection of synaptic plasticity.
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