Wang Wei
School of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou 363000, China.
Life Sci. 2018 Jan 1;192:18-25. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2017.11.010. Epub 2017 Nov 16.
Optogenetics has emerged as an important tool in neuroscience, especially in central nervous system research. It allows for the study of the brain's highly complex network with high temporal and spatial resolution. The enteric nervous system (ENS), the brain in the gut, plays critical roles for life. Although advanced progress has been made, the neural circuits of the ENS remain only partly understood because the appropriate research tools are lacking. In this review, I highlight the potential application of optogenetics in ENS research. Firstly, I describe the development of optogenetics with focusing on its three main components. I discuss the applications in vitro and in vivo, and summarize current findings in the ENS research field obtained by optogenetics. Finally, the challenges for the application of optogenetics to the ENS research will be discussed.
光遗传学已成为神经科学领域尤其是中枢神经系统研究中的一项重要工具。它能够以高时空分辨率对大脑高度复杂的网络进行研究。肠神经系统（ENS），即肠道中的大脑，对生命起着至关重要的作用。尽管已取得了显著进展，但由于缺乏合适的研究工具，ENS的神经回路仍仅被部分理解。在这篇综述中，我将重点介绍光遗传学在ENS研究中的潜在应用。首先，我将描述光遗传学的发展，重点关注其三个主要组成部分。我将讨论其在体外和体内的应用，并总结光遗传学在ENS研究领域的当前发现。最后，将探讨光遗传学应用于ENS研究面临的挑战。
