Simultaneous optical and electrical in vivo analysis of the enteric nervous system

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is a major division of the nervous system and vital to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and its communication with the rest of the body. Unlike the brain and spinal cord, relatively little is known about the ENS in part because of the inability to directly monitor its activity in live animals. Here, we integrate a transparent graphene sensor with a customized abdominal window for simultaneous optical and electrical recording of the ENS in vivo . The implanted device captures ENS responses to neurotransmitters, drugs and optogenetic manipulation in real time. The enteric nervous system (ENS) plays a key role in regulating gut motility and homeostasis yet it remains a challenging system to record from. Here, the authors develop a novel abdominal window permitting simultaneous optical and electrical recording of mouse ENS system activity over prolonged time periods.