Electroretinography (ERG) is a non-invasive electrophysiological recording technique that detects the electrical signaling of neuronal cells in the visual system. In conventional ERG recordings, the signals are considered a collective electrical response from various neuronal cell populations, including rods, cones, bipolar cells, and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). However, due to the limited ability to control electrophysiological responses from different types of cells, the detailed information underlying ERG signals has not been analyzed and interpreted. Linking the features of ERG signals to the specific neuronal response will advance the understanding of neuronal electrophysiological dynamics and provide more evidence to elucidate pathological mechanisms, such as RGC loss during the progression of glaucoma. Herein, we developed an advanced ERG recording system integrated with a programmable, non-invasive optogenetic stimulation method in mice. In this system, we applied an automatic and unbiased ERG data analysis approach to differentiate a, b wave, negative response, and oscillatory potentials. To differentiate the electrophysiological response of RGCs in ERG recordings, we sensitized mouse RGCs with red-light opsin, ChRmine, through adeno-associated virus (AAV) intravitreal injection. Features of RGC dynamics under red-light stimulation were identified in the ERG readout. This non-invasive ERG recording system, associated with the programmable optogenetics stimulation method, provides a new methodology to dissect neural dynamics under variable physiological and pathological conditions in vivo. With the merits of non-invasiveness, improved sensitivity, and specificity, we envision this system can be further applied for early-stage detection of RGC degeneration and functional progression in neural degenerative diseases, such as glaucoma.

Artificial cells are biomimetic microstructures that mimic functions of natural cells and find application, e.g., as microreactors, as building blocks for molecular systems engineering, and to host synthetic biology pathways. Here, we report enzymatically synthesised polymer-based artificial cells with the ability to express proteins. They are created by biocatalytic atom transfer radical polymerization-induced self-assembly (bioPISA). The metalloprotein myoglobin synthesises amphiphilic block copolymers that self-assemble into structures ranging from micelles over worm-like micelles to polymersomes and giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). The GUVs encapsulate cargo during the polymerisation, including enzymes, nanoparticles, microparticles, plasmids and cell lysate. The resulting artificial cells act as microreactors for enzymatic reactions and for osteoblast-inspired biomineralization, and could express proteins when fed with amino acids, as shown by the expression of the fluorescent protein mClover and of actin. Actin polymerises in the vesicles and alters the artificial cell’s internal structure by creating internal compartments. Thus, bioPISA-derived GUVs mimic bacteria as they are composed of a microscopic reaction compartment that contains genetic information which is able to express proteins upon induction. bioPISA not only is a powerful tool in the pursuit of artificial cells but also for the easy and highly efficient encapsulation of biological molecules under mild conditions and in biologically relevant media. Therefore, it could have significant implications for the development of biomaterials and drug-delivery systems, as well as for cell encapsulation, and the in-situ formation of nano-objects.