MIT researchers control starfish cells using light

MIT researchers have discovered a way to control cell movement using light. They focused on starfish egg cells, which are commonly used in studies of cell development. The team examined an enzyme that helps cells move. By making this enzyme sensitive to light, they were able to activate it with different light patterns. When the enzyme was activated, the starfish cells would buzz, compress, and contract in an organized way. By changing the light’s position, the scientists could manipulate the shape of the cells, transforming them from round to square. Their findings, published in Nature Physics, suggest a new method for controlling cell growth. This could lead to creating artificial cells that can help heal wounds or release medicine when exposed to light. Nikta Fakhri, a physicist at MIT and the senior author of the study, explained that this research sheds light on how cells organize themselves. Starfish are ideal for this type of study because of their unique structure. The enzyme they studied is called GEF. When activated, GEF triggers another protein called Rho, which binds to the cell membrane and activates muscle-like fibers. These fibers enable the cells to move and contract. Previous research showed that higher levels of GEF cause cells to contract more often. This led the scientists to explore if they could control the movement of cells precisely using light. They used a method called optogenetics, which allows biological components to respond to light. After injecting a light-sensitive version of GEF into starfish egg cells, the cells produced the enzyme on their own. By shining light in different areas, the researchers could control how the cells moved and changed shape. A small amount of light often caused significant contractions. The team also developed a theoretical model to predict how cells would respond to light. They hope their discovery will pave the way for creating synthetic cells that could be used in medicine, like light-activated repair patches or cells that release drugs.