LINCE - GA 803621 - Light INduced Cell control by Exogenous organic semiconductors (DCM.AD007.085)

Thematic area

Chemical sciences and materials technology

Project area

Structure responsible for the research project

Institute for organic syntheses and photoreactivity (ISOF)

Project manager

ROBERTO ZAMBONI
Phone number: 0516399770
Email: direzione@isof.cnr.it

Abstract

Preliminary work carried out by the PI of LINCE Dr Maria Rosa Antognazza, demonstrated that polymer photo-excitation can lead to effective modulation of different ionic channels and physiological pathways, even though with non-optimized devices and by using simple model cells. For instance, in collaboration with V. Benfenati at CNR-ISOF (Bologna), we demonstrated that polymer photo-excitation leads to an increase in the transmembrane conductance of astrocyte cells, possibly associated to a calcium chloride channel. LINCE program will properly engineer devices and it will make use of more significant physiological models, targeting relevant open issues in neuroscience. In particular, astrocytes endogenously express several kinds of ionic channels and Ca2+ signalling that are powerful regulator of neuronal spiking, synaptic plasticity and brain blood flow. Thus, astrocytes represent an ideal model to study the efficacy of different LINCE devices in the optical control of living cells, activated by different phenomena active at the bio-organic interface. Reversible, non-invasive and spatio/temporally resolved regulation of pH, voltage, heat activated channels represent the major targe

Goals

ISOF will be involved in LINCE as a third party, and it will provide support to the activities of WP3 - Optical control of astrocytes functions by LINCE device, under the supervision of Dr. Valentina Benfenati from CNR-ISOF in Bologna. Nearness of the two Institutions and existing close collaboration among PIs are a strong base to successfully support the implementation of WP3 objectives.
The objectives of WP3 developed at ISOF will be to verify the ability of LINCE devices of specific, reversible, not invasive and spatio/temporally resolved regulation of pH, voltage, heat activated channels expressed in primary culture of astrocytes. LINCE will focus in particular on optical modulation of the channels Kir4.1, TRPV4 and ClC-2. All these conductance are thought to play a crucial role in astrocytes physiology and pathophysiology

Start date of activity

01/03/2019

Keywords

Optoelectronic control, organic semiconductor, astrocytes

Last update: 27/04/2025