Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Rickgauer JP
PROVIDER: S-EPMC2736443 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Rickgauer John Peter JP Tank David W DW
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20090814 35
We demonstrate that channelrhodopsin-2 (CR), a light-gated ion channel that is conventionally activated by using visible-light excitation, can also be activated by using IR two-photon excitation (TPE). An empirical estimate of CR's two-photon absorption cross-section at lambda = 920 nm is presented, with a value (260 +/- 20 GM) indicating that TPE stimulation of CR photocurrents is not typically limited by intrinsic molecular excitability [1 GM = 10(-50)(cm4 s)/photon]. By using direct physiolog ...[more]