During the last several decades, cephalopods have emerged as a powerful source of inspiration for the engineering of dynamic optical systems. Previously, we drew inspiration from the tunable optical functionality of cephalopod skin cells for the engineering of human cells to produce high refractive index subcellular architectures consisting of the cephalopod protein reflectin. Additionally, we investigated the self-assembly, optical properties, and stimuli responsiveness of various reflectin isoforms in-vitro, utilizing three-dimensional holotomographic microscopy. More recently, we have obtained improved control over the production of reflectin in human cells by genetically engineering cell lines to stably express reflectins. Furthermore, we have systematically interrogated the optical properties of reflectin-expressing cells with three-dimensional holotomographic microscopy and harnessed their high-contrast reflectin subcellular structures to track cell migration (2,3). The combined findings have indicated that reflectins could find applications as genetically encoded high-contrast biomolecular reporters for the study of cellular-level processes.
Cephalopods (e.g., squids, octopuses, and cuttlefish) have captivated the imagination of both the general public and scientists alike due to their sophisticated nervous systems, complex behavioral patterns, and visually stunning camouflage displays. Given their unique capabilities and characteristics, it is not surprising that these marine invertebrates have emerged as exciting models for novel adaptive optical and photonic materials. Within this context, our laboratory has developed various cephalopod-derived and cephalopod-inspired systems with dynamic functionalities within the visible and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. These findings hold implications for next-generation biomedical imaging technologies and adaptive camouflage devices.
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