By Simon Makin | Scientific American May 2021 Issue Credit: Getty Images Optogenetics is revolutionizing neuroscience. The technique involves genetically altering particular cell types to make them produce light-sensitive proteins; scientists can then activate the cells using light pulses delivered to the brain via fiber-optic cable. This has already given researchers an unparalleled ability to probe the circuitry underlying...
By Simon Makin | Scientific American May 2021 Issue Credit: Getty Images Optogenetics is revolutionizing neuroscience. The technique involves genetically altering particular cell types to make them produce light-sensitive proteins; scientists can then activate the cells using light pulses delivered to the brain via fiber-optic cable. This has already given researchers an unparalleled ability to probe the circuitry underlying animal brain functions. But some...
