Photogenerated Electrical Fields for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

The application of electrical engineering principles to biology represents the main issue of bioelectronics, focusing on interfacing of electronics with biological systems. In particular, it includes many applications that take advantage of the peculiar optoelectronic and mechanical properties of organic or inorganic semiconductors, from sensing of biomolecules to functional substrates for cellular growth. Among these, technologies for interacting with bioelectrical signals in living systems exploiting the electrical field of biomedical devices have attracted considerable attention. In this review, we present an overview of principal applications of phototransduction for the stimulation of electrogenic and non-electrogenic cells focusing on photovoltaic-based platforms.

A Polymer Bio–Photoelectrolytic Platform for Electrical Signal Measurement and for Light Modulation of Ion Fluxes and Proliferation in a Neuroblastoma Cell Line

“…[10,11] Optoelectrical stimulation of living cells, converting light into electrical signals, avoids the need for direct physical contact because light can travel through biological membranes. Therefore, inorganic and organic photovoltaic materials have been exploited as useful optical tools, [7,12,13] adding further advantages such as spatial and temporal resolution and wireless options. Working as light-transducers, upon illumination photovoltaic materials generate electrical charges that can modulate the membrane potential of cells or tissues in contact with the photovoltaic substrate.…”

Polythiophene-mediated light modulation of membrane potential and calcium signalling in human adipose-derived stem/stromal cells

“…In these reports, dealing with various cell models, a local electric field generated upon P3HT optical excitation was claimed as the origin of the cytosolic Ca 2+ increase. 52 Indeed, it has been reported that the exposure to an electromagnetic field, also in the absence of phototransduction processes driven by electrogenic materials, determines a sizable modulation of intracellular Ca 2+ ions, mediated by Ca 2+ ion permeabilization through the cell membrane. 48 One should notice that additional mechanisms, possibly contributing to Ca 2+ modulation as well, were not considered at the moment, and, due to the lack of conclusive and quantitative control experiments, cannot be excluded.…”

Electrical stimulation inhibits Val-boroPro-induced pyroptosis in THP-1 macrophages via sirtuin3 activation to promote autophagy and inhibit ROS generation

“…Increasingly adopted in Physical Therapy practice, electrical stimulation (ES) has shown to promote the healing and regeneration of skin, bone, muscle, and nervous tissue [28]. Different cells respond differently to electrical stimulation (ES), which may alter electrophysiological activity in electrogenic cells, or induce proliferation or differentiation in non-electrogenic cells [29]. ES significantly reduced the release of cytokines and chemokines within the ischemic penumbra [30].…”