Photoresponsive Polymer-Based Biomimetic Contractile Units as Building Block for Artificial Muscles

Year: 2022

Authors: Vitale G., Grandinetti B., Querceto S., Martella D., Tesi C., Poggesi C., Cerbai E., Wiersma DS., Parmeggiani C., Ferrantini C., Sacconi L.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Florence, Dept Expt & Clin Med, Largo Brambilla 3, I-50134 Florence, Italy; European Lab Non Linear Spect LENS, Via Nello Carrara 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; Ist Nazl Ric Metrol INRiM, Str Cacce 91, I-10135 Turin, Italy; Univ Florence, Dept Neurosci Psychol Drug Res & Child Hlth NEURO, Viale Pieraccini 6, I-50139 Florence, Italy; CNR, Ist Nazl Ott, Via Nello Carrara 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; Univ Florence, Dept Phys & Astron, Via Sansone 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; Univ Florence, Dept Chem, Via Lastruccia 3-13, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.

Abstract: Loss of muscular mechanical function occurs in several diseases affecting millions of people worldwide, including heart failure, stroke, and neuromuscular disorders. To date, no medical or surgical treatments can restore muscular contractility, and the development of artificial muscles is of extreme interest. Mimicking biological muscles, which are optimized systems displaying quick reaction times, is not trivial; only few examples are reported, mainly focused on the use of biomimetic smart materials. Among them, liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) can be biocompatible, show contraction parameters comparable to those of native striated muscles, and are able to effectively potentiate cardiac contraction in vitro. To go further and develop in vivo implantable devices, the integration of the stimulation system with the LCE material represents an essential step. Here, a light-stimulated biomimetic contractile unit (BCU), combining ultra-thin photoresponsive LCE films and mini-LED (mLED) matrixes is described. BCU performance (in terms of extent and kinetics of contractile force and shortening) can be fine-tuned by modulating both mLED light power and spatial stimulation patterns, allowing to reproduce mechanical dynamics of native muscles. These results pave the way for the development of novel LCE-based contraction assist devices for cardiac, skeletal, or smooth muscle support by assembling multiple BCUs.

Journal/Review: MACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS AND ENGINEERING

Volume: 307 (9)      Pages from: 2200187-1  to: 2200187-10

More Information: G.V. and B.G. contributed equally to this work. The authors thank Simone Donato e Marta Rojas for the help in preparing LCE films. This work was financially supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 952166 (REPAIR). The authors thank MIUR-Italy (Progetto Dipartimenti di Eccellenza 2018-2022 for the funds allocated to the Department of Chemistry Ugo Schiff, and to the Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine). Open Access Funding provided by Universita degli Studi di Firenze within the CRUI-CARE Agreement.
KeyWords: artificial muscles; contractile units; liquid crystal elastomers; mini-LEDs; smart materials
DOI: 10.1002/mame.202200187

Citations: 6
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