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The Integration of Optical Stimulation in a Mechanically Dynamic Cell Culture Substrate.

ABSTRACT: A cell culture well with integrated mechanical and optical stimulation is presented. This is achieved by combining dielectric elastomer soft actuators, also known as artificial muscles, and a varifocal micro-electromechanical mirror that couples light from an optical fiber and focuses it onto the transparent cell substrate. The device enables unprecedented control of in vitro cell cultures by allowing the experimenter to tune and synchronize mechanical and optical stimuli, thereby enabling new experimental assays in optogenetics, fluorescent microscopy, or laser stimulation that include dynamic mechanical strain as a controlled input parameter.

SUBMITTER: Imboden M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9344002 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The Integration of Optical Stimulation in a Mechanically Dynamic Cell Culture Substrate.

Imboden Matthias M Chen Sophia S Gudozhnik Olexandr O Pollock Corey C Javor Josh J Bishop David D Shea Herbert H Rosset Samuel S

Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology 20220719

A cell culture well with integrated mechanical and optical stimulation is presented. This is achieved by combining dielectric elastomer soft actuators, also known as artificial muscles, and a varifocal micro-electromechanical mirror that couples light from an optical fiber and focuses it onto the transparent cell substrate. The device enables unprecedented control of <i>in vitro</i> cell cultures by allowing the experimenter to tune and synchronize mechanical and optical stimuli, thereby enablin ...[more]

PMID: 35928941

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