Abstract
Optical imaging has a long history in physiology and in neurophysiology in particular. Over the past 15 years or so, new methodologies have emerged that combine genetic engineering with light-based imaging methods. This merger has resulted in a tool box of genetically encoded optical indicators that enable nondestructive and long-lasting monitoring of neuronal activities at the cellular, circuit, and system level. This review describes the historical roots and fundamental concepts underlying these new approaches, evaluates current progress in this field, and concludes with a forward-looking perspective on current work and potential future developments in this field.
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Acknowledgments
We would like to thank all present and past members of the Knöpfel Laboratory for contributions, support, and discussions. Work in the laboratory has received funding from RIKEN, the Japanese Society for Promotion of Science, the Human Frontiers Science Program, the US National Institutes of Health, and Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT).
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This article is published as part of the Special Issue on “Measuring and manipulating biochemical signals, mechanical forces and metabolites in living cells, tissues and organisms".
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Mutoh, H., Knöpfel, T. Probing neuronal activities with genetically encoded optical indicators: from a historical to a forward-looking perspective. Pflugers Arch - Eur J Physiol 465, 361–371 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-012-1202-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-012-1202-z