Figure 2 | Scientific Reports

Figure 2

From: Selective inhibition of small-diameter axons using infrared light

Figure 2

Selective block of an individual slower-conducting axon in Aplysia californica. (a) Experimental setup for selective optical inhibition. Two neurons, B3 and B43, were impaled and stimulated intracellularly. B3, a large-diameter cell, has a large-diameter axon, whereas B43, a small-diameter cell, has a small-diameter axon. Two suction recording electrodes were positioned along the length of the nerve, one proximal to the ganglion and one distal. The optical fiber (600 µm diameter) delivering the IR energy (1860 nm wavelength) was placed perpendicularly to the nerve between the recording electrodes. (b) Action potential recording from the large-diameter soma (B3) and axon and the small-diameter soma (B43) and axon. (I) Intracellular stimulation applied to the cell body. (II) Proximal recording. (III) Distal recording beyond the IR laser application. The B43 small-diameter axon was completely blocked at a radiant exposure of 0.106 J/cm2/pulse (arrow) whereas the B3 large-diameter axon remained unaffected.

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