Optogenetic mouse strains for studying airway innervation

Airway function is profoundly controlled by parasympathetic, sympathetic and peptidergic sensory nerve fibers. Traditionally, the function of airway innervation is studied by electric field stimulation or by pharmacologic activation or inhibition. These methods allow only poor discrimination between fiber subtypes. Optogenetics is a new promising tool to solve these questions of specificity and selectivity. A blue light sensitive channelrhodopsin 2 (ChR2) from Chlamydomonas has been inserted in mice to create cell-specific expression of ChR2. Light stimulation induces depolarization and release of neurotransmitt…