Design and Modeling of a Bio-Inspired Aequorin-Based Light-Emitting Unit: Applications in Optogenetics and Beyond

Biophotonics includes a wide range of applications that use light-based technologies to investigate and manipulate biological systems. Traditionally, bioluminescence has been extensively used as a reporting agent in various biophotonics applications. However, its potential as a light source has not been explored. In this study, we propose the use of wireless Aequorin-based illumination as a bioinspired light-emitting source within biological tissue. This approach can have applications in a range of technologies; from optogenetics to bio-optical communications to human-brain interfaces. Drawing inspiration from the natural bioluminescent properties found in marine organisms, we designed a wireless Aequorin-based bioluminescence unit and developed an equivalent circuit model to describe the biological processes involved in illumination. Our model predicts the behavior of the bioluminescent units under various physical conditions, offering a framework for understanding how variations in physical parameters influence luminescence characteristics. In the absence of experimental studies focusing on Aequorin-based bioluminescence as a light source, our findings provide valuable guidance for researchers. These insights can help in understanding the system's behavior, designing more complex bioluminescence systems composed of multiple illumination units, and selecting parameters for future experimental research.