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MIT Researchers Use Light to Control Starfish Cell Movements

The breakthrough study reveals how light-sensitive enzymes can reshape cells, uncovering principles of self-organization and potential biomedical applications.

Representative image of a Red Sea Starfish.
“By revealing how a light-activated switch can reshape cells in real time, we’re uncovering basic design principles for how living systems self-organize and evolve shape,” says the study’s senior author, Nikta Fakhri, associate professor of physics at MIT
Image for representation purpose only.

Overview

  • MIT scientists engineered a light-sensitive version of the GEF enzyme to manipulate starfish egg cells' shape and movement using optogenetics.
  • The study discovered an 'excitability threshold,' where small light stimuli can trigger sweeping, whole-cell contractions.
  • Researchers developed a theoretical framework to predict cellular shape changes in response to light stimulation.
  • This research provides insights into how living systems self-organize and evolve shape during development.
  • The findings pave the way for designing programmable synthetic cells for applications such as wound healing and targeted drug delivery.