Semiconducting polymers are light nanotransducers in eyeless animals.

ABSTRACT: Current implant technology uses electrical signals at the electrode-neural interface. This rather invasive approach presents important issues in terms of performance, tolerability, and overall safety of the implants. Inducing light sensitivity in living organisms is an alternative method that provides groundbreaking opportunities in neuroscience. Optogenetics is a spectacular demonstration of this, yet is limited by the viral transfection of exogenous genetic material. We propose a nongenetic approach toward light control of biological functions in living animals. We show that nanoparticles based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) can be internalized in eyeless freshwater polyps and are fully biocompatible. Under light, the nanoparticles modify the light response of the animals, at two different le

SUBMITTER: Tortiglione C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5266477 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature