Researchers from Tufts University discovered that using light to control electrical signaling among cells on a frog through optogenetics could prevent tumors from forming. The process also normalized already-formed tumors. This is one of the first reported uses of optogenetics to manipulate bioelectrical signals. Optogenetics helped prevent and cause regression of tumors that are caused by oncogenes.
A blue light was used to activate positively-charged ion channels; that, in turn, induced an electric current that lead to the cells moving from a cancer-like depolarized state into a normal, negative polarized state.
The process was replicated by using a green light-activated proton pump. It was discovered that the activation of both agents significantly lowered the incidence of the formation of a tumor and increased the frequency with which a tumor regressed back to normal, healthy tissue.
Almost all healthy cells maintain a negative voltage in the interior of the cell compared to the exterior of the cell. Opening and closing the ion channels in the cell membrane caused the voltage to become positive and depolarized the cell or it would polarize the cell and make it more negative. This discovery allows doctors to detect tumors by their abnormal bioelectrical signature and in some cases this can be accomplished before the tumors may be otherwise apparent.
What is optogenetics?
This is a discipline that combines genetics and optics and enables the use of light to control and stimulate control cells in living tissue.
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