MIT researchers have discovered novel ways to control starfish cell shape and movement using light, paving the way for treatments in wound healing and targeted drug delivery.

According to science, every life begins with the movement of a single cell, and now, the scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have found a novel approach to control the movement of cells in starfish using light.

The researchers have discovered a groundbreaking technique and engineered starfish egg cells to respond to light signals. By modifying a key enzyme, they created a “light switch” that allows cells to move, contract, and even change their shape in real-time. All this can be done using a simple light beam, which will allow the cell to pinch, stretch, or even transform from a circle into a square.

This discovery has been published in Nature Physics journal. Scientists believe that this can further pave the way to create synthetic cells, which can play a significant role in wound healing by contracting under light or in targeted drug delivery when light is illuminated at precise locations in the body.

"By unlocking how cells shape themselves, we are uncovering nature’s blueprints for growth and development," said Nikta Fakhri, senior researcher and physics professor at MIT.

The team used the optogenetics technique, which genetically modifies cells to react to light and creates a version of the GEF enzyme that activates the cell movement. This discovery will help researchers to further deepen their understanding of how life forms but also set the stage for future medical breakthroughs where light could control healing and treatments at the cellular level.