Scientists at the Allen Institute and HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus engineered a protein that can record the incoming chemical signals of brain cells, enabling researchers to observe neural communication in real time.
The molecular glutamate indicator, called iGluSnFR4, is sensitive enough to detect extremely faint glutamate signals at individual synapses, which were previously too fast and quiet to capture in living brain tissue. The technology allows scientists to study how neurons integrate thousands of input signals to produce outputs linked to thought, memory, and behavior. “What we have invented here is a way of measuring information that comes into neurons from different sources, and that’s been a critical part missing from neuroscience research,” said Kaspar Podgorski, Ph.D., a lead author on the study and senior scientist at the Allen Institute.
The advancement strengthens the Seattle region’s position as a leader in neuroscience innovation by providing a powerful new tool that could accelerate brain research and inform future approaches to understanding neurological disease.