Construction of human neuron-muscle actuator to evaluate contractility

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H04805
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Nano/Microsystems
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Morimoto Yuya 東京大学, 大学院情報理工学系研究科, 准教授 (60739233)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: バイオロボティクス / マイクロ加工 / BioMEMS / 組織工学 / バイオエンジニアリング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we showed that motor neurons and skeletal muscle fibers were connected by culturing the motor neurons on a human skeletal muscle tissue, and the muscle tissue was contractible according to transmitted signals from the motor neurons. In addition, we succeeded in formation of a skeletal muscle tissue actuator capable of muscle contractions with large contraction amount by arranging a pair of skeletal muscle tissues via a joint. This actuator with skeletal muscle tissues can control rotation of the joint according to contractions of each skeletal muscle tissue, and can manipulate objects by moving an arm attached to the joint with the muscle contraction.

Free Research Field

マイクロ工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で生みだした技術は、骨格筋組織の収縮運動の体外での再現に有用であり、生物学分野や医学分野での骨格筋組織の理解に貢献可能である。さらに、生体を模擬した運動を体外で実現できるため、運動学やロボティクスの分野でも大きく貢献可能であり、培養組織の新たな応用先を開拓可能な技術であると考えられる。