In Vitro Calcium Imaging of Magnetogenetic Ion Channels TRPV1FeRIC and TRPV4FeRIC

Abstract

Ferritin-based magnetogenetic ion channels are promising new tools for non-invasive manipulation of ion channel activity. The use of these channels in animals has been promising but in vitro experiments in cultured cells have been inconclusive. This report focuses on channels TRPV1FeRIC and TRPV4FeRIC whose channel activity is reportedly sensitive to an alternating magnetic field (AMF) at 175 MHz. In vitro work on these channels has previously been done, but those experiments did not have the necessary controls and had significant confounding factors. This dissertation addresses these problems and redesigns AMF calcium imaging experiments to more accurately measure an AMF response. After many experiments and careful analysis, it is concluded that 175 MHz AMF exposure does not change intracellular calcium concentration in HEK 293T cells expressing TRPV1FeRIC or TRPV4FeRIC.