Direction and velocity control of gliding microtubules using a microdevice made of SU-8/Cu composite

In this study, we report on the fabrication of microscale structures that induce photothermal effects using SU-8/Cu composite material and evaluate the directional changes in microtubule movement relative to these structures, as well as velocity changes in response to the irradiance of excitation li...

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Main Authors: Tasuku NAKAHARA, Yuki YOSHIDA, Masaki HIGUCHI, Kazuyuki MINAMI
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers 2025-07-01
Series:Mechanical Engineering Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/mej/12/4/12_25-00097/_pdf/-char/en
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author Tasuku NAKAHARA
Yuki YOSHIDA
Masaki HIGUCHI
Kazuyuki MINAMI
author_facet Tasuku NAKAHARA
Yuki YOSHIDA
Masaki HIGUCHI
Kazuyuki MINAMI
author_sort Tasuku NAKAHARA
collection DOAJ
description In this study, we report on the fabrication of microscale structures that induce photothermal effects using SU-8/Cu composite material and evaluate the directional changes in microtubule movement relative to these structures, as well as velocity changes in response to the irradiance of excitation light. Evaluation of the temperature rise in SU-8/Cu composite structures under excitation light showed a proportional relationship between temperature increase and irradiance, with a maximum rise of 9.5°C at 43.2 W/cm2. Microtubule motility experiments conducted on the fabricated device revealed that the average probability of microtubules changing their movement direction along the structure was 61%. Microtubule velocity was higher in regions closer to the SU-8/Cu composite structures than in more distant regions. Additionally, the velocities measured at irradiances of 1.0 W/cm2 and 43.2 W/cm2 were 0.308 µm/s and 0.464 µm/s, respectively, indicating a maximum increase of 1.5 times. These findings suggest that integrating directional and velocity control mechanisms for microtubule movement onto a single substrate is feasible. Furthermore, they demonstrate the potential utility of the fabricated device as a system capable of simultaneously observing and controlling microtubule movement using a microscopic observation system.
format Article
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institution OA Journals
issn 2187-9745
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers
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series Mechanical Engineering Journal
spelling doaj-art-a9c57e58f7ea46b38bafa1b71ad2754a2025-08-20T01:59:35ZengThe Japan Society of Mechanical EngineersMechanical Engineering Journal2187-97452025-07-0112425-0009725-0009710.1299/mej.25-00097mejDirection and velocity control of gliding microtubules using a microdevice made of SU-8/Cu compositeTasuku NAKAHARA0Yuki YOSHIDA1Masaki HIGUCHI2Kazuyuki MINAMI3Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi UniversityGraduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi UniversityGraduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi UniversityGraduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi UniversityIn this study, we report on the fabrication of microscale structures that induce photothermal effects using SU-8/Cu composite material and evaluate the directional changes in microtubule movement relative to these structures, as well as velocity changes in response to the irradiance of excitation light. Evaluation of the temperature rise in SU-8/Cu composite structures under excitation light showed a proportional relationship between temperature increase and irradiance, with a maximum rise of 9.5°C at 43.2 W/cm2. Microtubule motility experiments conducted on the fabricated device revealed that the average probability of microtubules changing their movement direction along the structure was 61%. Microtubule velocity was higher in regions closer to the SU-8/Cu composite structures than in more distant regions. Additionally, the velocities measured at irradiances of 1.0 W/cm2 and 43.2 W/cm2 were 0.308 µm/s and 0.464 µm/s, respectively, indicating a maximum increase of 1.5 times. These findings suggest that integrating directional and velocity control mechanisms for microtubule movement onto a single substrate is feasible. Furthermore, they demonstrate the potential utility of the fabricated device as a system capable of simultaneously observing and controlling microtubule movement using a microscopic observation system.https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/mej/12/4/12_25-00097/_pdf/-char/enmicrotubulekinesingliding assaysu-8cucomposite
spellingShingle Tasuku NAKAHARA
Yuki YOSHIDA
Masaki HIGUCHI
Kazuyuki MINAMI
Direction and velocity control of gliding microtubules using a microdevice made of SU-8/Cu composite
Mechanical Engineering Journal
microtubule
kinesin
gliding assay
su-8
cu
composite
title Direction and velocity control of gliding microtubules using a microdevice made of SU-8/Cu composite
title_full Direction and velocity control of gliding microtubules using a microdevice made of SU-8/Cu composite
title_fullStr Direction and velocity control of gliding microtubules using a microdevice made of SU-8/Cu composite
title_full_unstemmed Direction and velocity control of gliding microtubules using a microdevice made of SU-8/Cu composite
title_short Direction and velocity control of gliding microtubules using a microdevice made of SU-8/Cu composite
title_sort direction and velocity control of gliding microtubules using a microdevice made of su 8 cu composite
topic microtubule
kinesin
gliding assay
su-8
cu
composite
url https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/mej/12/4/12_25-00097/_pdf/-char/en
work_keys_str_mv AT tasukunakahara directionandvelocitycontrolofglidingmicrotubulesusingamicrodevicemadeofsu8cucomposite
AT yukiyoshida directionandvelocitycontrolofglidingmicrotubulesusingamicrodevicemadeofsu8cucomposite
AT masakihiguchi directionandvelocitycontrolofglidingmicrotubulesusingamicrodevicemadeofsu8cucomposite
AT kazuyukiminami directionandvelocitycontrolofglidingmicrotubulesusingamicrodevicemadeofsu8cucomposite