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Updated: Mar 17, 2026

Optogenetic Activation of Afferent Pathways in Brain Slices and Modulation of Responses by Volatile Anesthetics
Published on: July 23, 2020
Shedding Light on Anesthetic Mechanisms: Application of Photoaffinity Ligands
Kellie A Woll1, William P Dailey, Grace Brannigan
1From the Departments of *Anesthesiology and Critical Care and †Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; ‡Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and §Department of Physics, Rutgers University, Camden, New Jersey.
Abstract:
Anesthetic photoaffinity ligands have had an increasing presence within anesthesiology research. These ligands mimic parent general anesthetics and allow investigators to study anesthetic interactions with receptors and enzymes; identify novel targets; and determine distribution within biological systems. To date, nearly all general anesthetics used in medicine have a corresponding photoaffinity ligand represented in the literature. In this review, we examine all aspects of the current methodologies, including ligand design, characterization, and deployment. Finally we offer points of consideration and highlight the future outlook as more photoaffinity ligands emerge within the field.
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