This article presents a basic scheme for a multichannel combined optoelectrode microimplant using feedback developed by the authors. An algorithm for stimulation and recording of neuron responses able to adjust the command signals to the light source and an optional system for administration of pharmacological compounds are described. The device can be used for autonomous adaptive optogenetic stimulation in chronic experiments on freely mobile animals, and has potential for use in treating patients. This report provides a detailed description of the preparation of a combined optoelectrode microimplant (optrode). The main advantage of this development is the ability to combine the stimulating and recording parts of the optogenetic system with adaptive control of light source parameters without the system being permanently connected to a personal computer. The system will later be tested on slices and in freely mobile animals in studies of the electrophysiological characteristics of hippocampal neurons in transgenic mice with different models of neurodegenerative diseases.

To date, optogenetics is one of the most popular methods in the world in neuroscience. There are new equipment and devices created to keep the progress of this method. This article describes a light pulse generator developed at the Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, designed for optogenetic experiments.

Optogenetic is a powerful method that allows to modulate cellular physiological properties. In our article, we demonstrate changes of electrical properties of cellular membranes on HEK-293T and hippocampal neurons transfected with channelrhodopsins and halorhodopsins induced by blue and orange light stimulation.

Recent years, optogenetic method of scientific research has proved its effectiveness in the nerve cell stimulation tasks. In our article we demonstrate an implanted device for the spinal optogenetic motoneurons activation. This work is carried out in the Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration of the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, together with Nano and Microsystem Technology Laboratory. The work of the developed device is based on the principle of combining fiber optic light stimulation of genetically modified cells with the microelectrode multichannel recording of neurons biopotentials. The paper presents a part of the electrode implant manufacturing technique, combined with the optical waveguide of ThorLabs (USA).

The paper deals with the currently available implants used in optogenetic experiments on laboratory animals in vivo. We present a brief description of the optogenetic investigation stages. Various types of implantable devices generating and recording signals in excitable tissues have been considered. The features of control signal transduction inside living tissues were analyzed. We discussed the possibility of medical and biological use of optical fibers for excitable tissues stimulation. Then we proposed a device of an implantable optical-electrode system for scanning and controlling the bioelectric parameters. The device can be used in medical diagnostics, prosthetics, myostimulation, neurostimulation and cardioacceleration, for instance, at neurological and rehabilitation medical institutions. With this in mind, an attempt will be made to make special combined microelectrode arrays to implant them into living tissue. The arrays should be able to change their profile according to the implantation-area contour and biophysical features of the substrate surface. It is necessary to provide a point generation and layer-by-layer scanning of excitation pulse through integration of individual microelectrode arrays into a single test-system.

The article is devoted to problems of realization and application of optogenetic methods used to identify reasons of various diseases, to monitor the biochemical processes of cell activity and to study various organisms. The problems of delivery, embedding and monitoring the expression of opsin genes into the cell genome of interest have been considered. In the article, the parameters and properties of various opsins and also the main ways of achievement of precise optical control over cell using opsins were presented. The rules for choosing the parameters of a light beam and the features of its putting were pointed out. The characteristic properties of the different measurement technique and recording the experimental quantities were analyzed and given.