US 12,082,938 B2
Photoacoustic voltage indicators
Barbara Smith, Tempe, AZ (US); and Christopher Miranda, Mesa, AZ (US)
Assigned to Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of Arizona State University, Scottsdale, AZ (US)
Filed by Barbara Smith, Tempe, AZ (US); and Christopher Miranda, Mesa, AZ (US)
Filed on Nov. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/533,278.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/117,004, filed on Nov. 23, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0160289 A1, May 26, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 5/00 (2006.01); G01N 15/10 (2006.01); G01N 15/01 (2024.01)
CPC A61B 5/4064 (2013.01) [A61B 5/0095 (2013.01); G01N 15/1023 (2024.01); G01N 15/01 (2024.01); G01N 2015/1006 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for measuring a membrane potential, the system comprising:
a photoacoustic probe comprising:
a laser configured to emit a light signal at one or more wavelengths to a neuronal cell comprising a voltage-sensitive protein capable of absorbing the light signal in a voltage-dependent manner, and
an ultrasound transducer configured to receive a photoacoustic signal from the voltage-sensitive protein in response to absorbing the light signal;
a processor; and
a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
receive the photoacoustic signal from the ultrasound transducer, and
calculate, based on the photoacoustic signal, the membrane potential of the neuronal cell.