Poster preview
ePoster
TWO-PHOTON CALCIUM IMAGING AND PHOTOCONTROL OF MUSCARINIC ACTIVITY IN LAYER 2/3 OF THE MOUSE SOMATOSENSORY CORTEX
Víctor Cilleros-Mañéand 14 co-authors
Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya (IBEC)
FENS Forum 2026 (2026)
Barcelona, Spain
Board PS03-08AM-647
Presentation
Date TBA
Board: PS03-08AM-647
Event Information
Poster Board
PS03-08AM-647
Poster
View posterAbstract
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) contribute to both the facilitation and inhibition of cortical activity, with a role in attention, wakefulness and sleep states regulation. Ambient acetylcholine is sensed by extrasynaptic mAChRs, and in particular M1 is present in all cortical layers where it enhances the excitability of pyramidal cells. Current pharmacological tools that regulate neural activity lack tissue selectivity and affect the entire nervous system and cannot be used to activate or inhibit selective regions on demand. On the other hand, light-mediated optogenetics, which has revolutionized neuroscience, requires gene manipulation and has difficult clinical translation. Photopharmacology, the development of molecules with light-sensitive moieties, allows focalized switching, reduces adverse effects and enhances efficacy. Here we characterise a photoswitchable muscarinic activator derivative that is inactive in dark and activates M1 receptors when they are illuminated with tissue-penetrating amber light (590nm). We combined the use of this light-responsive effector with two-photon calcium imaging to optically control neuron activity of the somatosensory cortex layer 2/3. We demonstrate that a photoswitchable molecule and the application of patterns of light can be used to control drug activity on demand. Muscarinic activation with 590nm light produced a clear difference in activity, whereas no changes in calcium activity were observed in the control group for the same illumination cycles. All mice recovered without behaviour impairments, which demonstrates that this compound does not produce acute toxicity. Ultimately, the presented photoswitch should perform as a unique tool to optically control muscarinic endogenous receptors in brain tissue without genetic manipulation.
Recommended posters
MODULATION OF SLOW-WAVE ACTIVITY USING A MUSCARINIC PHOTOSWITCHABLE DRUG IN LAYER II/III OF THE MOUSE SOMATOSENSORY CORTEX
Nayeli Fernanda Pérez Pérez, Víctor Cilleros-Mañé, Thomas Schidelko, Ekin Opar, Núria Camarero, Santiago Milla-Navarro, Joaquín Martínez-Tambella, Rosalba Sortino, Hubert Gerwe, Carlo Matera, Galyna Maleeva, Silvia Pittolo, Michael Decker, Pau Gorostiza
REVERSIBLE PHOTOACTIVATION OF ENDOGENOUS NICOTINIC RECEPTORS IN REWARD AND PAIN CIRCUITS OF BEHAVING MICE
Nicolas Guyon, Monir Mohayyaei, Antoine Bergel, Gawain Grellier, Joachim Jehl, Nicolas Debray, Yasmine Layadi, Nicolas Pietrancosta, Nelson Rebola, Amaury François, Philippe Faure, Graham Ellis-Davies, Alexandre Mourot
DEVELOPMENT OF METHODS FOR OPTICAL INHIBITION OF NATIVE NICOTINIC ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTORS IN BEHAVING MICE
Monir Mohayyaei, Nicolas Guyon, Graham Elis-Davies, Philippe Faure, Alexandre Mourot
SIMULTANEOUS HIGH-PERFORMANCE TWO-PHOTON IMAGING AND TWO-PHOTON MANIPULATION OF NEURONAL CIRCUITS WITH MINIMIZED CROSSTALK BETWEEN IMAGING AND PHOTOSTIMULATION
Cesare Bortolami, Andrea Sattin, Leonardo Nacci, Masayuki Sakamoto, Tommaso Fellin
POTENT OPTOGENETIC SUPPRESSION OF NEUROTRANSMITTER RELEASE BY PDCO IN THE MOUSE NEOCORTEX IN VIVO
Meriam Malekzadeh, Mauro Pulin, Sylvain Crochet, Carl Petersen
RESTORATION OF VISUAL ACUITY AND VISUALLY GUIDED BEHAVIOR IN AMBIENT WHITE LIGHT WITH PHOTOSWITCHABLE SMALL MOLECULES
Rosalba Sortino, Aleix González-Díez, Santiago Milla-Navarro, Joaquín Martínez-Tambella, Víctor Paleo-García, Eric Calatayud, Paula de Saralegui, Ekin Opar, Àlvar Claparols, Josecarlo A. Quintanilla, Xavier Martínez-Soler, Fabio Riefolo, Carlo Matera, Jordi Hernando, Alexandre M. J. Gomila, Gerard Pérez-Batlle, Carles Pereira, Núria Camarero, Carme Serra, Xavier Gómez-Santacana, Amadeu Llebaria, Xavier Rovira, Pedro de la Villa, Pau Gorostiza