Biotechnology:
Published on Nov 19, 2015
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Why was the neuron sent to the principal's office?
- He couldn't control his impulses
Photo by juliendn
The Problem
Photo by Tortured Mind
Parkinson's
What is it?
- Parkinson's also known as Parkinsonism causes the degradation of certain neurons in the portion of the brain that facilitate body movements.
- Neurons freeze and stop producing Dopamine
- Leading to irregular firing of impulses by neurons which can make Parkinson's worse.
- Neurons freeze and stop producing Dopamine
- Leading to irregular firing of impulses by neurons which can make Parkinson's worse.
Photo by euthman
Untitled Slide
Michael J. Fox
Jonny Cash
My Great Uncle
Optogenetics
The brain becomes the solution
- We take a protein and we put it in the neurons in our brain.
- We can make our neurons on and off switches.
- We learn about: neurological diseases and how to treat them and how neurons function.
- Treat Parkinson's, PTSD, depression, schizophrenia, OCD etc.
- Instead of using: medication, DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation) and Shock therapy
- It's more precise and effective since optogenetics targets certain neurons, not all.
- We can make our neurons on and off switches.
- We learn about: neurological diseases and how to treat them and how neurons function.
- Treat Parkinson's, PTSD, depression, schizophrenia, OCD etc.
- Instead of using: medication, DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation) and Shock therapy
- It's more precise and effective since optogenetics targets certain neurons, not all.
Photo by dierk schaefer
The Chlamydomonas
Eye Spot - A photoreceptive organelle (containing photoreceptive proteins )
that help it direct itself through high and low light intensified areas
- Chlamydomonas photosynthesises, so without this eyespot it would die since it could not find ideal light and could not grow or live.
that help it direct itself through high and low light intensified areas
- Chlamydomonas photosynthesises, so without this eyespot it would die since it could not find ideal light and could not grow or live.
Channelrhodopsin
- Photoreceptive proteins
- Use as a gate-way for passing ions and found on the membranes
- Through this gate-way they can control movement of the chlamydomonas
- Use as a gate-way for passing ions and found on the membranes
- Through this gate-way they can control movement of the chlamydomonas
Photo by Sergiu Bacioiu
Untitled Slide
Step 1 - Gene-encoding opsin and a promoter to drive the expression of this gene
Step 2 - Insert into the virus
Step 3 - Inject the virus into host and opsin is expressed and targets the neurons
Step 4 - Insert cable with electrode into host to produce a light
Step 5 - Laser light will open light-ion channels in neurons
Step 6 - Ions can now travel through the membrane of the neuron
- No specific gene is responsible for the protein,
Channelrhodopsin but several of the organisms genes are, around 200.
- Ion channels that are stimulated by light
Step 2 - Insert into the virus
Step 3 - Inject the virus into host and opsin is expressed and targets the neurons
Step 4 - Insert cable with electrode into host to produce a light
Step 5 - Laser light will open light-ion channels in neurons
Step 6 - Ions can now travel through the membrane of the neuron
- No specific gene is responsible for the protein,
Channelrhodopsin but several of the organisms genes are, around 200.
- Ion channels that are stimulated by light
Untitled Slide
With light stimulation by a micro-electrode we can control firing of neurons and independently turn neurons on and off
- independent signals are copycated by other surrounding neurons
- Through light stimulation we can activate a brain circuit in the brain that reduces the freezing of neurons and treats Parkinson's.
- Help sustain and control body movements
Analogy: like a secret, one person tells neighbouring people and those people tell others and those people tell others
- independent signals are copycated by other surrounding neurons
- Through light stimulation we can activate a brain circuit in the brain that reduces the freezing of neurons and treats Parkinson's.
- Help sustain and control body movements
Analogy: like a secret, one person tells neighbouring people and those people tell others and those people tell others
Moral Dilemmas
There is only 1 gene therapy in the world and that's in Europe, in the US there are no FDA approved gene therapies.
This is because if think about it, these gene-encoding opsins come from bacteria and algae and are then put in our brain cells, almost like putting a virus in our brain
Thus this makes optogenetics more invasive and unpredictable than electrode-based systems.
These will be detected by the brain as foreign agents and will by attacked by the immune system.
So obviously we've been able to test this on mice but we have no idea the impacts that will have on our bodies.
Economics -
Spending for expensive gene therapy while millions of other American families can't even afford decent healthcare?
This widens the wealth gap that persists within the American economic structure.
This is because if think about it, these gene-encoding opsins come from bacteria and algae and are then put in our brain cells, almost like putting a virus in our brain
Thus this makes optogenetics more invasive and unpredictable than electrode-based systems.
These will be detected by the brain as foreign agents and will by attacked by the immune system.
So obviously we've been able to test this on mice but we have no idea the impacts that will have on our bodies.
Economics -
Spending for expensive gene therapy while millions of other American families can't even afford decent healthcare?
This widens the wealth gap that persists within the American economic structure.
Works Cited
- Barkataki, Manash P. "Optogenetics." Optogenetics. Weebly, n.d. Web. 25 May 2015.
Photo by jovike
