Source: wikibot/light-gated-ion-channel
= Light-gated ion channel
{wiki=Light-gated_ion_channel}
Light-gated ion channels, also known as optogenetic ion channels, are specialized proteins that can be activated by specific wavelengths of light to open or close, allowing ions to flow across a cell membrane. These channels are widely used in neuroscience and other biological research to control the activity of neurons and other excitable cells with high temporal precision using light.