New developed method to selectively activate brain, muscles, heart and others cells using ultrasound waves. This technology developed by an Indian American researcher from Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California.
This termed as sonogenetics, which has correspondence to the growing use of light to activate cells in order to better understand the brain cells. Techniques based on light used in this technology, so that it’s beneficial for several applications. Sreekanth Chalasani, (assistant professor in Salk’s molecular neurobiology laboratory) said, this latest device helps to control neurons other cells in the body.
Similar form of waves of medical sonograms is used in new techniques so that it could have beneficial over the light based methods known as opt-genetics. Significantly once it involves adapting the technology to human medicine. In opto-genetics, researchers add light-sensitive channel proteins to neurons. By spotless a focused laser on the cells, they can selectively open these channels to activating or silencing the target neurons.
Low frequency ultrasound can move through the body In contrast light without any distribution. Stuart Ibsen, (post-doctoral fellow in the Chalasani lab) says,” This will be great advantage when you want to stimulate a region deep in the brain without affecting other parts of body.
Sonogenetics has only been applied to C. elegance neurons. His group has already begun testing the approach in mice.###
