Optogenetics
Optogenetics
Specific Aims
Muscle disorders of the masticatory systems, or neuromuscular dysfunction, has two major symptoms: pain and dysfunction. Millions of people are impacted by muscle fatigue, muscle tightness, myalgia, spasms, headaches, and decrease range of motion each year because of this disorder [1]. Over the years, scientists have used many treatments to try to cure these muscle disorders, such as, drug therapies, physical and occupational therapies, surgery, and electrical stimulation. Although these treatments help, at present, there is no cure for most neuromuscular diseases, since scientist can not get to the exact point that causes the disorder. [2]. Recently scientists have discovered advances in genetic engineering, which have provided alternative means to drug and occupational therapies. This alternative uses a combination of genetics and optics to control well-defined events within specific cells of living tissue, called optogenetics. It uses the insertion into cells of genes that confer light responsiveness and is associated with technologies for delivering light deep into organisms as complex as freely moving mammals, for targeting light-sensitivity to cells of interest [3]. Specific aim 1 will test the hypothesis that a focused ultrasound will help for targeted delivery of therapeutics to nerves in regions of the sciatic nerve. We can use dye-loaded microbubles to sciatic nerves, which have been previously used in vitro and in vivo. This will be assessed using microscopy, which will track the nerve using ultrasound imaging of targeted areas to assess risk of pressure related trauma. Also, the nerves will be electrically stimulated to observe the functional performance of the microbuble exposure [4]. Specific Aim 2 will apply focused ultrasound to specific static nerves using optical control in vivo. Electrical stimulation will be used for muscle stimulation for muscle control. The drawbacks of this, which include large
Specific Aims
Muscle disorders of the masticatory systems, or neuromuscular dysfunction, has two major symptoms: pain and dysfunction. Millions of people are impacted by muscle fatigue, muscle tightness, myalgia, spasms, headaches, and decrease range of motion each year because of this disorder [1]. Over the years, scientists have used many treatments to try to cure these muscle disorders, such as, drug therapies, physical and occupational therapies, surgery, and electrical stimulation. Although these treatments help, at present, there is no cure for most neuromuscular diseases, since scientist can not get to the exact point that causes the disorder. [2]. Recently scientists have discovered advances in genetic engineering, which have provided alternative means to drug and occupational therapies. This alternative uses a combination of genetics and optics to control well-defined events within specific cells of living tissue, called optogenetics. It uses the insertion into cells of genes that confer light responsiveness and is associated with technologies for delivering light deep into organisms as complex as freely moving mammals, for targeting light-sensitivity to cells of interest [3]. Specific aim 1 will test the hypothesis that a focused ultrasound will help for targeted delivery of therapeutics to nerves in regions of the sciatic nerve. We can use dye-loaded microbubles to sciatic nerves, which have been previously used in vitro and in vivo. This will be assessed using microscopy, which will track the nerve using ultrasound imaging of targeted areas to assess risk of pressure related trauma. Also, the nerves will be electrically stimulated to observe the functional performance of the microbuble exposure [4]. Specific Aim 2 will apply focused ultrasound to specific static nerves using optical control in vivo. Electrical stimulation will be used for muscle stimulation for muscle control. The drawbacks of this, which include large