SMILE®-platform used for optogenetics

In close collaboration with the Institute of Quantum Optics (IQO) in Hannover, we were able to demonstrate for the first time that biological cells could be excited using our SMILE®-platform.

In the lab of Prof. Alexander Heisterkamp at NIFE (Niedersächsisches Zentrum für Biomedizintechnik, Implantatforschung und Entwicklung), Dr. Maria Leilani Torres and their team employ fluorescence imaging to visualize calcium fluctuations in living cells.

The cardiomyocytes express a light-sensitive protein called ChR2. The cells were stained with calcium-sensitive dye and are activated when illuminated by SMILE®-platform. The spontaneous electrical activity can be overridden by the illumination pattern.

Using our SMILE®-platform, cell cultures can be stimulated by different illumination patterns.

We are very proud that our microLED platform simplifies research by providing a compact and easy-to-use light source for targeted stimulation of cells with minimal adjustment required compared to other optical systems.

The video shows cardiomyocytes illuminated with vertical light stripe patterns using the SMILE®-platform.

Source: Dr. Maria Leilani Torres, Leibniz University Hannover.