TY  - JOUR
TI  - Optical Stimulation and Electrophysiological Analysis of Regenerating Peripheral Axons
AU  - Ward, Patricia J.  
AU  - English, Arthur 
VL  - 9
IS  - 12
PY  - 2019
DA  - 2019/06/20
SP  - e3281
C1  - Bio-protocol 2019;9:e3281
DO  - 10.21769/BioProtoc.3281
UR  - https://doi.org/10.21769/BioProtoc.3281
AB  - Although axons in the peripheral nervous system can regenerate, functional recovery after nerve injuries is poor. Activity-based therapies, such as exercise and electrical stimulation, enhance the regeneration of cut peripheral axons. Despite their effectiveness, clinical application of these experimental techniques has been limited. At least part of the basis for this translational barrier has been a lack of information as to the precise mechanism of activity-based therapies on peripheral axon regeneration. To evaluate the requirements for neuron-type specific activation to promote regeneration using these therapies, in the current protocol, we employed optogenetics. Utilizing the advantages of transgenic mouse lines we targeted opsin expression to different neuron types. Using fiber optics we activated those neurons with high temporal specificity as a model of activity-based intervention after nerve injury and to measure functional recovery achieved after such a treatment.
KW  - Channelrhodopsin
KW  - Motoneurons
KW  - sensory neurons
KW  - sciatic nerve
KW  - optogenetics
KW  - peripheral nerve injury
JF  - Bio-protocol
SN  - 2331-8325
PB  - Bio-protocol LLC.
BIO101  - False