The Effects of Chloride Flux on Drosophila Heart Rate.

ABSTRACT: Approaches are sought after to regulate ionotropic and chronotropic properties of the mammalian heart. Electrodes are commonly used for rapidly exciting cardiac tissue and resetting abnormal pacing. With the advent of optogenetics and the use of tissue-specific expression of light-activated channels, cardiac cells cannot only be excited but also inhibited with ion-selective conductance. As a proof of concept for the ability to slow down cardiac pacing, anion-conducting channelrhodopsins (GtACR1/2) and the anion pump halorhodopsin (eNpHR) were expressed in hearts of larval Drosophila and activated by light. Unlike body wall muscles in most animals, the equilibrium potential for Cl- is more positive as compared to the resting membrane potential in larval Drosophila. As a consequence, upon ac

SUBMITTER: Stanley CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6789470 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature