科研领域描述
灵敏的感觉是动物生存和繁衍的基础。例如，雄蛾可感知雌蛾在千米外释放的微量化学物质（求偶的化学语言）。另一方面，感觉系统对环境有超强的适应性。例如，人眼可在漆黑的夜晚感知单个光子，也能在强烈的阳光下（千亿个光子照射的背景下）阅读。我们研究：(1)感觉系统如何将各种物理/化学刺激转导为神经电信号；(2)极限条件下，神经环路如何识别微弱感觉信号（如单个光子或单个气味分子引起的神经信号）而产生感知；(3)神经元的自发活动在感知过程中的作用；(4) 神经环路如何调控“Gain Control"而避免神经信号的饱和。
我们应用全细胞膜片钳等电生理方法（记录活体动物脑神经元以及外周感觉神经元），结合遗传学、双光子钙成像、和行为学等方法，从分子、细胞、神经环路到整体行为多层次系统地对视觉、嗅觉和味觉等进行研究，揭示动物感知的基本神经机制。
代表性论文
1. Luo DG*, Yue WWs, Ala-Laurila P and Yau KW* , Activation of visual pigments by light and heat , Science , 2011 , 332, 1037-1032 , * Co-corresponding Authors
2. Fu Y*, Kefalov VJ*, Luo DG*, Xue T* and Yau KW , Quantal noise from human red cone pigment , Nature Neuroscience , 2008 , 11, 565-571 , * Equal Contributions
3. Luo DG, Xue T, and Yau KW , How vision begins: an odyssey , Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA , 2008 , 105, 9855-9862
4. Luo DG, Kefalov VJ and Yau KW , Photrotransduction in rods and cones , In The Senses: A Comprehensive Reference , 2007 , (Eds. Masland HR and Albright TD) Elsevier, pp 269-301
5. Su Cy, Luo DG, Terakita A, Schichida Y, Liao HW, Kazmi MA, Sakamar TP and Yau KW , Parietal-eye phototransduction components and their potential evolutionary implications , Science , 2006 , 311, 11617-11621
6. Luo DG and Yau KW , Rod sensitivity of neonatal mouse and rat , J. Gen. Physiol. , 2005 , 126, 263-269
7. Luo DG, Li GL and Yang XL , Zn2+ modulates light responses of color-opponent bipolar and amacrine cells in the carp retina , Brain Res. Bull. , 2002 , 58, 461-468
8. Luo DG and Yang XL , Suppression by zinc of transient OFF responses of carp amacrine cells to red light is mediated by GABAa receptors , Brain Res. , 2002 , 958, 222-226
9. Luo DG and Yang XL , Zn2+ differentially modulates signals from red- and short-wavelenth-sensitive cones to horizontal cells in carp reitna , Brain Res. , 2001 , 900, 95-102
10. Xu HP, Luo DG and Yang XL , Signals from cone photoreceptors to L-tyoe horizontal cells are differntially modulated by low calcium in carp retina , Eur. J. Neurosci. , 2001 , 13, 1411-1419
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