...Chlamydomonas reinhardtii . Channelrhodopsin-1 (ChR1) is excited by blue light and permits nonspecific cation influx...physiological pH and traffics well to the membrane. Excitatory (Depolarizing) ChR Variants The optogenetic toolbox... as light-gated, cation channels resulting in excitation (depolarization) of the neuron. Feature enhancements...system. Here are some key factors to consider: Excitation or inhibition? First things first: do you want...experiment? Depending on your answer, you'd pick an excitatory or inhibitory opsin, respectively. Color of activation..., … Boyden, E. S. (2014). Independent optical excitation of distinct neural populations. Nat Methods, ...Hegemann, P., & Deisseroth, K. (2011). Neocortical excitation/inhibition balance in information processing ...