Qube Opto 384 – Optical modulation of ion channels

Using the optical features of Qube Opto 384, it is possible to evaluate both light-activated ion channels and photoactivated ligands. Here we outline a few of the studies we have performed on Qube Opto 384.

Channelrhodopsin 2 (ChR2) could be activated and the channelrhodopsin 2 mediated current could be manipulated in both a light and voltage-dependent manner, with activation times as short as 4 ms. A light-induced chloride current could also be elicited, employing the chloride-conducting channelrhodopsin iC⁺⁺.

Caged γ-aminobutyric acid (Rubi-GABA) could be activated by light and give rise to a GABA_AR mediated current. The GABA response was both concentration and the light intensity dependent. The optical activation of GABA combined with microfluidic channels also enabled ultra-short ligand exposure times.