A revolutionary tool allows to visualize the neuronal activity with a near infrared light

Robert Campbell, professor at the University of Alberta, led the development of a near infrared fluorescent indicator to visualize activity in neurons.

According to new research done by scientists from the University of Alberta and a team of international collaborators, a revolutionary new tool for visualizing neuronal activity has implications for understanding the functions and functions of neuronal activity. brain disorders.

The tool, named NIR-GECO1, identifies when an individual neuron is active by monitoring the presence or absence of calcium ions. "In particular, it emits a light near the infrared in the absence of calcium ions.When the concentration of calcium ions increases, it darkens," explained Robert Campbell, professor at the chemistry department and lead author of the study. "When a neuron" triggers, "the concentration of calcium ions temporarily increases inside the cell.We see this as an attenuation of the near-infrared light emitted."

The research builds on earlier work done in Campbell's lab and focused on developing a toolbox for visualizing and manipulating individual neurons. NIR-GECO1 is a protein encoded in DNA, which makes it particularly useful for cells in culture in the laboratory or in model organisms. Technology could enable scientists to determine the efficacy of therapeutic drugs at the cellular level, which would have implications for the development of more effective and more effective treatments for a number of serious health conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases.

"Tissues are relatively transparent to near-infrared light, so this tool can allow researchers to visualize neuronal activity more deeply in the brain than is currently possible," Campbell said. "This could lead to important knowledge in the areas of learning and memory, prevention and recovery from stroke and neurodegenerative diseases."