A surface-engineered NIR light-responsive actuator for controllable modulation of collective cell migration

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Cellular Mechanobiology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Mechanical signals regulate cellular processes.
• Controlling cell adhesion and migration is crucial for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
• Existing methods for mechanical stimulation often lack precision and non-invasiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive optomechanical actuator.
• To enable non-invasive, directional regulation of collective cell adhesion and migration.
• To explore the use of optomechanical actuation for precise control of cellular behavior.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an optomechanical actuator using a thermal-responsive copolymer hydrogel and gold nanorods (AuNRs).
• Activation of the actuator via NIR light stimulation, causing hydrogel contraction and increased stiffness.
• Grafting cell-adhesive peptide ligands onto the actuator surface for cell attachment.
• Utilizing microcontact printing for patterned ligand presentation.
• Observing cell adhesion, migration rate, and alignment in response to NIR light and patterned surfaces.

Main Results:

• The optomechanical actuator demonstrated non-invasive activation by NIR light.
• NIR light illumination intensity-dependent cell migration rates were observed.
• Directional cell alignment and migration were achieved using patterned adhesive ligands and optomechanical actuation.
• The actuator successfully applied contraction forces to cultured cells.

Conclusions:

• The developed optomechanical actuator provides a novel method for optical modulation of cell adhesion and migration.
• This technology shows promise for precise, non-invasive control of cellular events in various bioapplications.
• Optomechanical actuation offers a versatile platform for studying and manipulating cell-biomaterial interactions.