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Membrane potential sensing: Material design and method development for single particle optical electrophysiology

Journal Article · · Journal of Chemical Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0076522· OSTI ID:1903113
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); UCLA
  2. Bar-Ilan Univ., Ramat Gan (Israel)
  3. Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Bar-Ilan Univ., Ramat Gan (Israel)

We review the development of “single” nanoparticle-based inorganic and organic voltage sensors, which can eventually become a viable tool for “non-genetic optogenetics.” The voltage sensing is accomplished with optical imaging at the fast temporal response and high spatial resolutions in a large field of view. Inorganic voltage nanosensors utilize the Quantum Confined Stark Effect (QCSE) to sense local electric fields. Engineered nanoparticles achieve substantial single-particle voltage sensitivity (~2% Δλ spectral Stark shift up to ~30% ΔF/F per 160 mV) at room temperature due to enhanced charge separation. A dedicated home-built fluorescence microscope records spectrally resolved images to measure the QCSE induced spectral shift at the single-particle level. Biomaterial based surface ligands are designed and developed based on theoretical simulations. The hybrid nanobiomaterials satisfy anisotropic facet-selective coating, enabling effective compartmentalization beyond non-specific staining. Self-spiking- and patched-HEK293 cells and cortical neurons, when stained with hybrid nanobiomaterials, show clear photoluminescence intensity changes in response to membrane potential (MP) changes. Organic voltage nanosensors based on polystyrene beads and nanodisk technology utilize Fluorescence (Förster) Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) to sense local electric fields. Voltage sensing FRET pairs achieve voltage sensitivity up to ~35% ΔF/F per 120 mV in cultures. Non-invasive MP recording from individual targeted sites (synapses and spines) with nanodisks has been realized. However, both of these QCSE- and FRET-based voltage nanosensors yet need to reach the milestone of recording individual action potentials from individual targeted sites.

Research Organization:
Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program; STROBE National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center; NIH; United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation; Israel Science Foundation; Israel Innovation Authority
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0020338
OSTI ID:
1903113
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1846051
OSTI ID: 2228962
Journal Information:
Journal of Chemical Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Chemical Physics Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 156; ISSN 0021-9606
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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