Genome engineering of a neuronal specific, optogenetic, induced pluripotent stem cell line

Control of neuronal activity by optogenetic tools is increasingly explored in disease modelling and optogenetics and holds great promise for regenerative therapy. To investigate neuronal connectivity with other excitable cells we established an optogenetic induced pluripotent stem cell line. The SynfChrimson line harbors a stably integrated, fast, red light-activatable channel (f-Chrimson), under the control of synapsin promotor in the AAVS1 locus. Multielectrode array analysis showed that SynfChrimson derived neurons are light-activatable. The specificity of the SynfChrimson function in neurons was validated by cardiomyocyte differentiations which do not respond to light stimulations.