Table 1.
A list of optogenetic proteins in cardiovascular research and medicine.
| Optogenetic proteins | Sources | Functions and applications |
|---|---|---|
| Channelrhodopsin (ChR) | Unicellular algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii | Light gated cation-selective membrane channel, provides algal eye ability to sense light; Depolarizing tool in optogenetics |
| Halorhodopsin (HR) | Halobacteria | Induces light-gated inward directed chloride transport; Inhibitory tool in optogenetics |
| GCaMP | Calmodulin-based | Calcium sensor |
| VSFP 2.1 | Derived from voltage Sensing domain of sea Squirt Ciona intestinalis | Indicator of membrane potential |
| VChR1 | Multicellular algae Volvox corteri | Red-shifted opsin variant; Maximal excitation at 535 nm |
| G-protein modulating opsins | Natural and engineered | Modulates cell signaling |
| JellyOp | Jelly fish | Gs-protein coupled photoreceptor |
| Melanopsin | Ganglion Cells of the retina | Gq-coupled photoreceptor; Regulation of circadian rhythm |