1.D.330.  The Chemogenetic Ion Channel (CIC) Family

CICs have several important properties as follows:

  1. Chemogenetic ion channels are engineered proteins that allow precise control of neuronal activity.
  2. They respond to specific small molecules, enabling targeted activation or inhibition of neurons.
  3. These channels can be used to study neural circuits and behavior in live organisms.
  4. Common examples include DREADDs (Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs).
  5. They offer advantages over traditional methods like optogenetics, including less invasive control.
  6. Applications span neuroscience research, potential therapeutic strategies, and understanding disease mechanisms.
References:  1.  Iguchi et al. 2025;  2. Kolesov et al. 2021;  3. Ozawa and Arakawa 2021;  4. Keifer et al. 2020.

 

References:

Iguchi, Y., R. Benton, and K. Kobayashi. (2025). A chemogenetic technology using insect Ionotropic Receptors to stimulate target cell populations in the mammalian brain. Neurosci Res 214: 56-61.
Keifer, O., K. Kambara, A. Lau, S. Makinson, and D. Bertrand. (2020). Chemogenetics a robust approach to pharmacology and gene therapy. Biochem Pharmacol 175: 113889.
Kolesov, D.V., E.L. Sokolinskaya, K.A. Lukyanov, and A.M. Bogdanov. (2021). Molecular Tools for Targeted Control of Nerve Cell Electrical Activity. Part I. Acta Naturae 13: 52-64.
Ozawa, A. and H. Arakawa. (2021). Chemogenetics drives paradigm change in the investigation of behavioral circuits and neural mechanisms underlying drug action. Behav Brain Res 406: 113234.