A research group led by Professor Hiromu Yawo at Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University has discovered that transgenic rats which channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2), one of photoreceptor proteins of a green unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, was integrated in their genomes express ChR2 in the large dorsal root ganglion cells involved in sense of touch-pressure and deep sense. In addition, ChR2 was also distributed in the sensory nerve endings in the skin. As a result, these rats have obtained "supersense" by which blue LED flashes on the plantar skin are perceived as touch-pressure but not as pain.

More information (Japanese)

[Contact]

(About the research)

Professor Hiromu Yawo

Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience

Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences

Tel: +81-22-217-6208

E-mail: yawo-hiromu*m.tohoku.ac.jp (Replace * with @)

(Public Relations)

Associate professor Fuji Nagami

Tohoku Neuroscience Global COE

Tel: +81-22-717-7908 Fax: +81-22-717-7923

E-mail: f-nagami*med.tohoku.ac.jp (Replace * with @)