The duodenum distinguishes between sugar and sweeteners, but the cells involved in this process remain elusive. Buchanan and colleagues engineered a flexible optic fiber for optogenetic manipulation of gut cells in mice. Silencing duodenal CCK cells reduced the preference for sugar over sweetener intake. Gut optogenetics may elucidate how the gut–brain axis regulates feeding and glucose homeostasis.
- Jessica T. Y. Yue
- Frank A. Duca
- Tony K. T. Lam