title: Triggering of high-speed neurite outgrowth using an optical microheater.
abstract: Optical microheating is a powerful non-invasive method for manipulating biological functions such as gene expression, muscle contraction, and cell excitation. Here, we demonstrate its potential usage for regulating neurite outgrowth. We found that optical microheating with a water-absorbable 1,455-nm laser beam triggers directional and explosive neurite outgrowth and branching in rat hippocampal neurons. The focused laser beam under a microscope rapidly increases the local temperature from 36 °C to 41 °C (stabilized within 2 s), resulting in the elongation of neurites by more than 10 μm within 1 min. This high-speed, persistent elongation of neurites was suppressed by inhibitors of both microtubule and actin polymerization, indicating that the thermosensitive dynamics of these cytoskeletons play crucial roles in this heat-induced neurite outgrowth. Furthermore, we showed that microheating induced the regrowth of injured neurites and the interconnection of neurites. These results demonstrate the efficacy of optical microheating methods for the construction of arbitrary neural networks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan.|Department of Cell Physiology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan.
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan.|Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region 142292, Russia.
authors.forename: Vadim
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zeeb
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan.|Department of Cell Physiology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Mizuho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gotoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan.|Institute of Medical Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, #06-06 Immunos, Singapore 138648, Singapore.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Itabashi
authors.affiliation: WASEDA Bioscience Research Institute in Singapore (WABIOS), 11 Biopolis Way, #05-02 Helios, Singapore 138667, Singapore.|Organization for University Research Initiatives, Waseda University, #304, Block 120-4, 513 Wasedatsurumaki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-0041 Japan.
authors.forename: Madoka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan.|WASEDA Bioscience Research Institute in Singapore (WABIOS), 11 Biopolis Way, #05-02 Helios, Singapore 138667, Singapore.|Organization for University Research Initiatives, Waseda University, #304, Block 120-4, 513 Wasedatsurumaki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-0041 Japan.
authors.forename: Shin'ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishiwata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D049108:Cell Enlargement / Q000528:radiation effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007259:Infrared Rays; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D016501:Neurites / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats