用光去控制细胞

hxq2007

Controlling cells with light
用光去控制细胞

New methods using light to control cellular activity promise to illuminate hidden biology.
通过光线控制细胞活力的新方法有望照亮隐藏的生物(学).

Light is great for looking at things, but it can also be used to alter molecules and by extension control cellular activity. In 2005 a collaboration between the laboratories of Georg Nagel and Karl Deisseroth showed that a light-activated bacterial channel called channel rhodopsin 2 (ChR2) could be used for activation of neuronal signaling. The performance and apparent ease with which the method could be implemented generated great interest among neuroscientists.
光线可以让人更好的观察,但它同样也能改变分子进而控制细胞的活动.2005年,Georg Nagel实验室与Karl Deisseroth实验室合作(研究)指出,一种称为\"ChR2\"的光激活细菌(信号转导)通道能够用来激活神经信号(转导).该项操作简单但表现显著的方法会引起神经科学家们极大的兴趣.

By expressing ChR2 in neurons and illuminating the cells with light, researchers can now depolarize neurons at will and precisely control the spiking behavior that underlies neuronal signaling.
通过在神经元内表达\"ChR2\"并用光线\"照亮\"细胞,现在的研究人员们能够随意让神经元去极化,并精确控制该构成神经信号(转导)基础的示踪行为.

In 2007, the same groups improved on their earlier feat by describing a new light-activated channel that hyperpolarizes cells to inhibit neuronal signaling. They successfully used the two channels in parallel to stimulate and inhibit neuronal signaling in vivo. In a separate effort the Nagel group described a photoactivatable adenylyl cyclase, extending the technique to a new signaling pathway.
07年,同样是在合作的早期研究中,他们为我们展示了一个伟大而神奇\"光激励通道\".即,通过高度极化细胞以抑制神经信号(转导).他们在活体中游刃有余的运用这两种通道以刺激或抑制神经信号(转导).在由Nagel实验室独立从事的研究中,他们为我们展示了一个\"照相激活的腺苷酸环化酶\"(个人理解为FLASH激活,或者说闪光激活可能),从而将该技术拓展到一个新的信号(转导)通路上.

Although these papers stimulated great interest in the use of light to control cellular signaling, they were not the first such reports. Photostimulation methods have been around for years. One of the oldest, photo-uncaging, relies on the light-activated release of bioactive compounds from 'caged' compounds inactivated by a light-responsive chemical modification. This is a powerful technique, but it relies on exogenously applied synthesized molecules and cannot take advantage of the myriad of genetic techniques for modifying cells and whole organisms.
尽管这些文件激起了(人们/科学家们)对光控制细胞信号(转导)的极大兴趣,但此前就早已有相关报道.\"照相刺激法\"已经存在多年.其中最早的一个是\"照相-释放(法)\",(其实质是)一项基于通过\"光反应化学修饰作用\"来激活失活性的生物活性复合物(原理)的方法.该技术是强大的,但它需要应用外源性的合成分子,而且也不能取代种类繁多的基因方法来修饰细胞或是整个(有)机体.

Prior to ChR2 there were several other efforts to develop protein-based photostimulation methods. These met with some success but did not generate the groundswell of interest necessary to change the way people performed experiments.
\"ChR2\"诞生之前,在研发蛋白为基础的\"照相刺激法\"方面,(人们/科学家们)就已有一些其它尝试.取得了一些成功，但并没有改变人们在实验方法兴趣方面的大环境.

Rapid development of ChR2-based applications by multiple groups has been instrumental in changing people's perceptions of the simplicity and utility of cellular photostimulation techniques. This high level of interest is certain to drive the development of new photo-stimulation methods and applications. It may also encourage wide use of photo-uncaging and other complementary techniques. In any case, more users will continue to adopt these methods, and the anticipated flood of reports describing biological findings has already begun.
以\"ChR2\"为基础,并被许多实验小组所采用的方法正在蓬勃发展,这将有益于改变人们对于\"细胞照相刺激技术\"单纯性与实用性的认识.趣味盎然必然会研发出新的\"照相刺激\"方法和策略.也会激励\"照相-解套\"技术更广泛的应用,同时还会激励出其他相关的补救(或是补偿)技术.总之,将会有越来越多的人采用这些技术,同时预期中如洪水般的关于生物发现方面的报道正汹涌而来.(如雨后春笋般扑面而来)

http://www.nature.com/nmeth/journal/v5/n1/full/nmeth1161.html

A beam of light can control the activity of a worm expressing a light-activated protein.
一束光线能控制小虫表达光激活蛋白的活性.