Scientists at the University of Washington School of Medicine have demonstrated that they can induce cells to move toward a beam of light, which means that scientists have taken the first step toward using light to manipulate cells to control insulin secretion or heart rate. This achievement is in the medical field. Has broad application prospects. Related research was published on the PNAS online version of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published on April 8.
The subject of the new study is immune cells. The principal person in charge of the study, Dr. Gotham, an anesthesiology professor, and Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Aguis Karunaras, use genetic engineering techniques to introduce a photoprotein, opsin, into these immune systems. Inside the cell, then, by irradiating a laser in the direction they want the cell to move, it successfully guided the cell to move in that direction. Subsequently, they used nerve cells to carry out the same experiment, and also succeeded.
The key to success is to "coax" cells into thinking that opsin is a common receptor protein. "We have succeeded in using light as a switch to control the behavior of cells." Gautam said, "Cells do some behavior because they can sense signals in the surrounding environment. In a series of experiments we conducted The cell senses the presence of light. "
Many important functions in the body, from nerve development to insulin secretion, immune cell function and heart rate, are controlled by various key receptors around the cell. Humans and other animals make opsin in the eye. When activated by light, opsin allows cells to enter the eye, turning light signals into vision.
Opsins belong to a family of G protein-coupled receptors that are currently receiving much attention. These G protein-coupled receptors play a key role in the fields of vision, touch, behavior, mood, immune system regulation, heart rate, and tumor spread.
In another recent study, also published in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Gotham team exposed nerve cells to light to grow branches (protrusions). Currently, they are using Heart cells conduct experiments to test whether light signals can accelerate or decelerate the heartbeat.
They plan to use the same method to understand whether light can affect the secretion of insulin and the regeneration of nerve cells; study the signal loops in the cell to clarify how the molecular pathway network controls cell behavior. Karunaras pointed out: "Ultimately, we will" plug "a variety of photosensitive proteins into these cells. We intend to use two different wavelengths of light. When the first light is irradiated, it may give the first The photoreceptor sends a signal to make the heart beat faster, and then the second light may be used to slow down the heartbeat. "
Gotham emphasized: "Using light to control the movement of cells is not only important for the immune system, but also ensures that the cells that make the heart, liver and other organs work well during embryonic development, and it is also of great benefit to cancer metastasis research."
Crochet Fashion Accessory,Crochet Mittens,Crochet Headband,Crochet Baby Watch,Crochet Bracelets,Crochet Key Chain
Dongguan UMY Garment Co., Ltd , https://www.umycn.com