eLife· 2026Q1
Open source laser-scanning photostimulation for neuroscience with Zapit
- 3citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Researchers developed Zapit, the first open-source platform for random-access laser-scanning optogenetics, enabling precise control of neural activity in mice with a user-friendly interface and accessible hardware.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Zapit is the first open-source, general-purpose platform for random-access laser-scanning optogenetics.
- The platform features a user-friendly GUI, stereotaxic coordinate integration, and accessible hardware designs.
- Zapit's performance was validated via electrophysiological recordings and cortical photoinhibition in behaving mice.
- The tool aims to lower the barrier to entry for laser-scanning optogenetics in neuroscience research.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract Optogenetic tools are indispensable for understanding the causal neural mechanisms underlying animal behavior, providing millisecond-precision control over genetically defined neural populations. Random-access laser-scanning optogenetics is a powerful and underutilized method for transiently manipulating cortical activity in mice. Despite the utility of this technique, no general-purpose open-source implementation currently exists, and potential users need expertise across optics, real-time hardware control, and programming. This represents a major barrier to adoption, particularly for newly established research groups. Here we present ‘Zapit’, the first open-source general-purpose platform for random-access laser-scanning optogenetic experiments in head-fixed mice. Zapit is fully documented, has a user-friendly GUI, works in stereotaxic coordinates, and comes with easy to build hardware options that extend functionality beyond any published system. We validate Zapit’s performance through electrophysiological recordings and cortical photoinhibition in behaving mice. Zapit is a novel and innovative tool with the potential to democratize laser-scanning optogenetics and significantly increase uptake throughout the scientific community.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. eLife, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Cellular and Molecular NeuroscienceNeuroscience