chloride opsin

Chloride opsins are a class of light-sensitive proteins used in optogenetics to modulate cellular membrane potential by transporting chloride ions. In the context of glioblastoma research, these opsins are expressed in glioma cells via gene therapy vectors. Upon activation by specific wavelengths of light, the opsins pump chloride into the cells, which has been shown to reduce tumor proliferation and invasion while also modulating the hyperexcitability of surrounding neurons. This approach targets the dysregulated chloride homeostasis observed in the glioblastoma microenvironment, specifically addressing the upregulation of chloride transporters like NKCC1 and ClC-3 in tumor cells and associated neurons.

Other names

light-activated chloride pumpoptogenetic chloride channel