New research suggests that engineered tissues could one day do some of the work of traditional electrical stimulation devices while offering more customizable and biologically friendly solutions.
A team of NIH-funded researchers produced 3D-printed scaffolds using a special ink containing tiny solar cells. By shining lasers on their light-sensitive material, they were able to influence the contractions of cells seeded within and around their device, going as far as to successfully regulate heart rate in an animal experiment. Their results are described in Science Advances.