Coupling the Cardiac Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel to Channelrhodopsin-2 Generates Novel Optical Switches for Action Potential Studies.

ABSTRACT: Voltage-gated sodium (Na⁺) channels respond to short membrane depolarization with conformational changes leading to pore opening, Na⁺ influx, and action potential (AP) upstroke. In the present study, we coupled channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2), the key ion channel in optogenetics, directly to the cardiac voltage-gated Na⁺ channel (Na_v1.5). Fusion constructs were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, and electrophysiological recordings were performed by the two-microelectrode technique. Heteromeric channels retained both typical Na_v1.5 kinetics and light-sensitive ChR2 properties. Switching to the current-clamp mode and applying short blue-light pulses resulted either in subthreshold depolarization or in a rapid change of membrane polari

SUBMITTER: Vom Dahl C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9607247 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature