Publication date: 15th December 2025
Nowadays living cells stimulation is an emerging and hot topic. Contactless and wireless methods are extremely appealing due to a reduced alteration of the analyzed biological systems.1 In this context, light emerges as a non-invasive, wireless solution with high spatiotemporal precision for bio-stimulation.2 Material-based light transducers (conjugated molecules and macromolecules) have demonstrated efficacy at the interface with living cells and tissues, thanks to their photophysical properties, biocompatibility, and chemical versatility. 3,4
In this presentation, I will discuss the use of phototransducers for muscular cell activation,5–7 highlighting their photo-chemical properties.8,9 Beyond single-cell photopacing, these materials have been employed to stimulate in vitro muscular microphysiological systems developed using classical tissue engineering techniques as well as advanced methods like electrospinning and 3D printing.10,11 The interactions between light and these different tissue types will also be analyzed to understand and optimize photostimulation efficacy in complex biological contexts.
These systems mimic muscle tissue native properties and represent a promising platform for the development of bio-hybrid actuators, regenerative medicine tools, drug testing, and disease screening applications.
1. Manfredi, G. et al. The physics of plasma membrane photostimulation. APL Mater. 9, 030901 (2021).
2. Ronzitti, E. et al. Recent advances in patterned photostimulation for optogenetics. J. Opt. 19, 113001 (2017).
3. Dai, Y. et al. Soft hydrogel semiconductors with augmented biointeractive functions. Science 386, 431–439 (2024).
4. Vurro, V., Venturino, I. & Lanzani, G. A perspective on the use of light as a driving element for bio-hybrid actuation. Appl. Phys. Lett. 120, 080502 (2022).
5. Lodola, F., Vurro, V., Crasto, S., Di Pasquale, E. & Lanzani, G. Optical Pacing of Human‐Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell‐Derived Cardiomyocytes Mediated by a Conjugated Polymer Interface. Adv. Healthc. Mater. 8, 1900198 (2019).
6. Vurro, V. et al. A Polymer Blend Substrate for Skeletal Muscle Cells Alignment and Photostimulation. Adv. Photonics Res. 2, 2000103 (2021).
7. Vurro, V. et al. Optical modulation of excitation-contraction coupling in human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. iScience 26, 106121 (2023).
8. Paternò, G. M. et al. Membrane Environment Enables Ultrafast Isomerization of Amphiphilic Azobenzene. Adv. Sci. 7, 1903241 (2020).
9. Vurro, V. et al. Molecular Design of Amphiphilic Plasma Membrane-Targeted Azobenzenes for Nongenetic Optical Stimulation. Front. Mater. 7, 631567 (2021).
10. Vurro, V. et al. Light-triggered cardiac microphysiological model. APL Bioeng. 7, 026108 (2023).
11. Venturino, I. et al. Skeletal muscle cells opto-stimulation by intramembrane molecular transducers. Commun. Biol. 6, 1148 (2023).
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