Voltage Imaging: Pitfalls and Potential

Overview

Journal Biochemistry

Specialty Biochemistry

Date 2017 Jul 27

PMID 28745864

Citations 51

Authors

Rishikesh U Kulkarni

Evan W Miller

Affiliations

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Abstract

Optical methods for interrogating membrane potential changes in neurons promise to revolutionize our ability to dissect the activity of individual cells embedded in neural circuits underlying behavior and sensation. A number of voltage imaging strategies have emerged in the past few years. This Perspective discusses developments in both small-molecule and genetically encoded fluorescent indicators of membrane potential. We survey recent advances in small-molecule fluorescent indicators that rely on photoinduced electron transfer to sense voltage as well as refinements of voltage-sensitive fluorescent proteins and new opsin-based strategies for monitoring voltage changes. We compare the requirements of fluorescent voltage indicators to those for more canonical Ca sensing as a way to illuminate the particular challenges associated with voltage imaging.

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