I think regrettably we need to cross the channelrhodopsins off the list (for chronic human use at least) for the reasons you give. How could we make normal ion channels behave in the same way is the question then
To engineer other ion channels you run into a lot of the same problems with gene therapy, and other interventions lack the temporal and spatial specificity optogenetics provides. That is the million dollar question though, how can we get the same benefits that optogenetics provides without the engineering headache of the light source? I have hope that chemogenetics (chemically-activated ion channels) will develop to be used broadly in situations where time-specificity isn't as important.
"engineering headache of the light source" There has been discussion by some folks to use 'nano' (actually micro I suspect) sized LED light sources in vivo. Did you see my rough diagram where I have attempted to bring this together into a NOEMS (nano-opto-electro-mechanical-system) package. Is that a useful approach?
BTW. I've never liked the '-genetic' suffix terminology it just seems a bit too vague :) At any rate I started to make a brainstorming list where I use that framework and add various other prefixes in case that highlights an approach that has not been thought about. We've got opto, chemo but what about something else? Sonic? Pressure?
We need to create a dedicated 'think' group of folks who want to get an answer to this question :) We could all periodically check in to an online forum and share any more thoughts we have had on the subject
I think regrettably we need to cross the channelrhodopsins off the list (for chronic human use at least) for the reasons you give. How could we make normal ion channels behave in the same way is the question then
To engineer other ion channels you run into a lot of the same problems with gene therapy, and other interventions lack the temporal and spatial specificity optogenetics provides. That is the million dollar question though, how can we get the same benefits that optogenetics provides without the engineering headache of the light source? I have hope that chemogenetics (chemically-activated ion channels) will develop to be used broadly in situations where time-specificity isn't as important.
"engineering headache of the light source" There has been discussion by some folks to use 'nano' (actually micro I suspect) sized LED light sources in vivo. Did you see my rough diagram where I have attempted to bring this together into a NOEMS (nano-opto-electro-mechanical-system) package. Is that a useful approach?
I collected some refs on Infrared laser light that works on normal unmodified ion channels IIRC I will need to check my notes
BTW. I've never liked the '-genetic' suffix terminology it just seems a bit too vague :) At any rate I started to make a brainstorming list where I use that framework and add various other prefixes in case that highlights an approach that has not been thought about. We've got opto, chemo but what about something else? Sonic? Pressure?
Hmmm...might there be some way to 'confine' the chemogenetic approach to give us better specificity.....
We need to create a dedicated 'think' group of folks who want to get an answer to this question :) We could all periodically check in to an online forum and share any more thoughts we have had on the subject
Any more ideas on the light source issue