Controlling Ca2+ Permeable α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid (AMPA) Receptors with Photochromic Ion Channel Blockers.

Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) play a critical role in normal brain function and neurodegenerative diseases. Development of light-dependent compounds would enable studies of iGluRs within intact mammalian neural tissue, as light is noninvasive and can be applied with high spatiotemporal precision. Here we develop a potent photochromic antagonist that selectively targets the Ca2+ permeable AMPA-type of iGuRs, thus providing an important tool to study the contribution of AMPA-type iGluRs on neuronal activity.