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Imaging Membrane Potential with Two Types of Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Voltage Sensors

Imaging Membrane Potential with Two Types of Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Voltage Sensors

Published on: February 4, 2016

Small molecule fluorescent voltage indicators for studying membrane potential.

Evan W Miller¹

¹Departments of Chemistry, Molecular & Cell Biology, and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, 227 Hildebrand Berkeley, CA 94720-1460, United States.

Current Opinion in Chemical Biology

|June 20, 2016

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Small molecule voltage indicators offer fast, sensitive membrane potential measurements for neuroscience research. New VoltageFluors enable tunable, all-optical voltage manipulation and measurement, advancing cellular physiology studies.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cellular Physiology
Biophysics

Background:

Membrane voltage dynamics are crucial for cellular function, particularly in neuroscience.
Small molecule fluorophores are promising tools for measuring membrane potential.
Existing voltage indicators have limitations in speed, sensitivity, or applicability.

Purpose of the Study:

To review advancements in small molecule voltage indicators.
To discuss novel voltage sensing dyes for neuroscience applications.
To outline future directions and desired characteristics for voltage indicators.

Main Methods:

Discussion of various classes of small molecule voltage indicators.
Highlighting dyes with enhanced two-photon sensing capabilities.
Reviewing near-infrared dyes for in vivo studies and electron-transfer based VoltageFluors.

Main Results:

Development of voltage indicators with improved two-photon sensing.
Introduction of near-infrared dyes for in vivo voltage imaging.
Emergence of VoltageFluors enabling tunable, all-optical voltage manipulation and measurement.

Conclusions:

Small molecule voltage indicators are advancing rapidly, offering new possibilities for studying cellular physiology.
VoltageFluors represent a significant step towards precise, all-optical control and measurement of membrane potential.
Further development is needed to meet the 'wish-list' for ideal voltage indicators.