Biorobotic actuator with a muscle tissue driven by a photostimulation

Abstract

The authors aim to develop a biorobotic actuator with a muscle tissue of developing chick embryos driven by a photostimulation. The goal is to find an appropriate method for driving such bio-actuators. To do so, we introduce channelrhodopsin-2 which works as both a photoreceptor and an ion channel. We here report on the deeply interesting experimental results as follows: (1) We employed developing chick embryos, that was electroporated chopWR-venus to prospective limb region. (2) Then, we observed that the muscle tissue actuator is contracted by a blue light stimulation. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.