Microbial Opsins: the Potential for Neurodegenerative Therapies

Optogenetics is a new field utilizing light to manipulate cells. The produced symptoms mimic those of classic hibernation performed by many mammalian species, supporting the term “artificial hibernation”. Hibernation experienced by animals allows the organisms to maintain cell latency. These tools can be developed by applying novel techniques to laboratory mammals. Introducing stem-cell derived model organs to these kinds of studies may provide more insight on how optogenetics could advance medical therapies for neurodegenerative disorders. This literature review analyzes the research completed in the biochemical origin of microbial opsins and their function. The channelrhodopsins (ChRs) from the microorganism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii have been used to introduce optogenetics as a field of study. The biochemical functions can show how ChR-2 can be utilized in discovering new therapies and treatments for neurodegenerative disorders with the technique “deep brain stimulation” (DBS). The potential for using human brain organoids (HBOs) to further studies of optogenetic procedures is novel in terms of research ethics. It proposes that, before human trials with medical research, trials should be completed on non-human organoids produced in labs to see general responses of human organs to new treatments. Research from the past century corroborates the biochemical functions of C. reinhardtii and how the metabolic changes in hibernation can support new medical treatments for neurodegenerative disorders.