Neuron: Researchers use eel-like protein to control neurons to help depressed patients

Researchers are studying how brain neurons work to see if understanding these operations can help people with addiction, depression, and pain.

In a paper published on " Neuron " on May 11, the Center for Addiction, Pain, and Emotional Neurobiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, and the Neuropharmacology Center, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, and San Diego A research team composed of scientists from the University of Zurich successfully used a parapinopsin protein to close the brain circuit , which is present in the eight-eye eel (an ancient jawless fish lineage similar to the eel, similar to the eel because of its There are seven gill holes on each side of the body, so it is also called "lamprey", plus the eyes on the same side, it seems to have eight eyes).

Bryan A.

Parapinopsin (parapinopsin) is a kind of protein, also known as "G Protein-Coupled Receptors" (G Protein-Coupled Receptors, GPCRs) is a general term for a large class of membrane protein receptors.

Bruchs' laboratory has focused on G protein-coupled receptors for many years.

Michael Bruchars, an anesthesiologist at the University of Washington School of Medicine, said: "Extracting genes from this protein can control the process of neuron communication.

Studies have found that the protein in the eight-eyed eel responds to light, but not to chemicals, which is another method of "targeted delivery".

Original source:

A photoswitchable GPCR-based opsin for presynaptic inhibition .