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Dong K, Liu WC, Su Y, Lyu Y, Huang H, Zheng N, Rogers JA, Nan K. Scalable Electrophysiology of Millimeter-Scale Animals with Electrode Devices. BME FRONTIERS 2023; 4:0034. [PMID: 38435343 PMCID: PMC10907027 DOI: 10.34133/bmef.0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Millimeter-scale animals such as Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila larvae, zebrafish, and bees serve as powerful model organisms in the fields of neurobiology and neuroethology. Various methods exist for recording large-scale electrophysiological signals from these animals. Existing approaches often lack, however, real-time, uninterrupted investigations due to their rigid constructs, geometric constraints, and mechanical mismatch in integration with soft organisms. The recent research establishes the foundations for 3-dimensional flexible bioelectronic interfaces that incorporate microfabricated components and nanoelectronic function with adjustable mechanical properties and multidimensional variability, offering unique capabilities for chronic, stable interrogation and stimulation of millimeter-scale animals and miniature tissue constructs. This review summarizes the most advanced technologies for electrophysiological studies, based on methods of 3-dimensional flexible bioelectronics. A concluding section addresses the challenges of these devices in achieving freestanding, robust, and multifunctional biointerfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kairu Dong
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Wen-Che Liu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yuyan Su
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital,
Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yidan Lyu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Hao Huang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Nenggan Zheng
- Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
- College of Computer Science and Technology,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
- State Key Lab of Brain-Machine Intelligence,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- CCAI by MOE and Zhejiang Provincial Government (ZJU), Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - John A. Rogers
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics,
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering,
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Kewang Nan
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Jinhua Institute of Zhejiang University, Jinhua 321299, China
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Chen M, Feng D, Su H, Wang M, Su T. Neural Network-Based Autonomous Search Model with Undulatory Locomotion Inspired by Caenorhabditis Elegans. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:8825. [PMID: 36433423 PMCID: PMC9692421 DOI: 10.3390/s22228825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) exhibits sophisticated chemotaxis behavior with a unique locomotion pattern using a simple nervous system only and is, therefore, well suited to inspire simple, cost-effective robotic navigation schemes. Chemotaxis in C. elegans involves two complementary strategies: klinokinesis, which allows reorientation by sharp turns when moving away from targets; and klinotaxis, which gradually adjusts the direction of motion toward the preferred side throughout the movement. In this study, we developed an autonomous search model with undulatory locomotion that combines these two C. elegans chemotaxis strategies with its body undulatory locomotion. To search for peaks in environmental variables such as chemical concentrations and radiation in directions close to the steepest gradients, only one sensor is needed. To develop our model, we first evolved a central pattern generator and designed a minimal network unit with proprioceptive feedback to encode and propagate rhythmic signals; hence, we realized realistic undulatory locomotion. We then constructed adaptive sensory neuron models following real electrophysiological characteristics and incorporated a state-dependent gating mechanism, enabling the model to execute the two orientation strategies simultaneously according to information from a single sensor. Simulation results verified the effectiveness, superiority, and realness of the model. Our simply structured model exploits multiple biological mechanisms to search for the shortest-path concentration peak over a wide range of gradients and can serve as a theoretical prototype for worm-like navigation robots.
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Català-Castro F, Schäffer E, Krieg M. Exploring cell and tissue mechanics with optical tweezers. J Cell Sci 2022; 135:jcs259355. [PMID: 35942913 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.259355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular and tissue biosystems emerge from the assembly of their constituent molecules and obtain a set of specific material properties. To measure these properties and understand how they influence cellular function is a central goal of mechanobiology. From a bottoms-up, physics or engineering point-of-view, such systems are a composition of basic mechanical elements. However, the sheer number and dynamic complexity of them, including active molecular machines and their emergent properties, makes it currently intractable to calculate how biosystems respond to forces. Because many diseases result from an aberrant mechanotransduction, it is thus essential to measure this response. Recent advances in the technology of optical tweezers have broadened their scope from single-molecule applications to measurements inside complex cellular environments, even within tissues and animals. Here, we summarize the basic optical trapping principles, implementations and calibration procedures that enable force measurements using optical tweezers directly inside cells of living animals, in combination with complementary techniques. We review their versatility to manipulate subcellular organelles and measure cellular frequency-dependent mechanics in the piconewton force range from microseconds to hours. As an outlook, we address future challenges to fully unlock the potential of optical tweezers for mechanobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Català-Castro
- Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology, ICFO, Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, 08860 Castelldefels, Spain
| | - Erik Schäffer
- Cellular Nanoscience, ZMBP, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michael Krieg
- Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology, ICFO, Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, 08860 Castelldefels, Spain
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