Why it’s Important

Studying how neurons work – alone and together and under different conditions – is critical for understanding how our brains and bodies work in health and disease. The tools have opened new avenues of brain science research and have been used to test possible treatments for Huntington's disease, search for the causes of autism and repair neurons to recover function after stroke or spinal cord injury.

What it Does

BL-OG tools use bioluminescent light, the result of a chemical reaction found in fireflies, glow worms, and many jellyfish. BL-OG replicates this reaction using bioluminescent substances called luciferase and luciferin. BL-OG also uses light sensors called opsins. Opsins sense the bioluminescent light and open ion channels in cells, allowing different ions to flow in. This flow changes how the cell behaves. Changes can be tracked and controlled in many cells at once or, using an external light and traditional optogenetics, in smaller, more targeted groups. BL-OG tools can be customized with different types of luciferins, opsins, and channel types to conduct a variety of experiments.

Where it’s Used

More than 200 BL-OG tools have been shipped to research labs in 15 countries.