BIO ACTUATED MICROSYSTEM USING CULTURED CARDIOMYOCYTES

We first reported we succeeded in the creation and the actuation of hybrid microsystem comprised of a hydrogel soft material structure and cultured cardiomyocytes. This paper shows a fabrication of bio-actuated microsystem using cells, cell patterning technique and the demonstration of its actuation. We utilized a soft material, such as a hydrogel, because it is very similar to a tissue material and much easier to control its stiffness and surface chemistry than a silicon structure. Here we present a novel bio-actuated microstructure using cultured cardiomyocytes to work as a microactuator only by chemical energy without electrical energy source.