Wagner Steuer Costa in the team of Alexander Gottschalk, Professor for Molecular Cell Biology and Neurobiochemistry, discovered the sleep neuron RIS a few years ago by coincidence—simultaneously with other groups. To understand the function of individual neurons in the plexus, the researchers use genetic engineering to cause them to produce light-sensitive proteins. With these “photo-switches,” the neurons can be activated or turned off in the transparent worm using light radiation of a certain wavelength. “When we saw that the worm froze when this neuron was stimulated by light, we were quite amazed. It was the beginning of a study that took several years,” Gottschalk recalls.
Click here for original story, The sleep neuron in threadworms is also a stop neuron
Source: Phys.org