Apparatus and methods for controlling cellular development

Abstract

According to one aspect and example, a method for facilitating cellular interactions in biological tissue provides controllable activation of a selected type of stem cell among a plurality of cell types present in the tissue. The method includes various steps including the introduction of a microbial opsin into a region of the tissue that includes a selected type of stem cell, by expressing the microbial opsin in the stem cell. A light source is then introduced near the stem cell, and the light source is used to controllably activate thejight source to direct pulses of illumination from the light source to the selected type of stem cell, for selectively controlling the growth and development of the stem cell in a manner that is independent of the growth and development of the other types of cells.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for facilitating cellular development in a biological environment having a selected type of stem cell that can be distinguished from other cell types, the method comprising the steps of:
 introducing a microbial opsin into a region of the biological environment that includes a selected type of stem cell, by expressing the microbial opsin in the stem cell;   introducing a light source near the stem cell; and   controllably activating the light source to direct pulses of illumination from the light source to the selected type of stem cell, for selectively controlling its growth and development independent of the growth and development of the other types of cells.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected type of stem cell is as an integral part of the biological environment which includes a mixed set of cell types. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further including using intrinsic properties of axons and dendrites to facilitate the controlled development of young neurons. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the intrinsic properties include one or more of: different associated chemo-attractants, temporal properties characterizing the speed at which axons and dendrites grow, and physical dimensions of axons relative to dendrites. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected type of stem cell is as an integral part of tissue which includes a mixed set of cell types including cells that are targeted for control and cells that are not targeted for control. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further including facilitating discrete communication within the mixed set of cell types, whereby cells of individual types and individual roles in tissue development are governed. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further including facilitating cellular growth of the stem cell within a predetermined spatial configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further including facilitating growth of the stem cell within a predetermined geometric configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further including facilitating control for internal pacing of a portion of a brain, whether hypoactive or hyperactive portion of the brain being internally paced, while using another portion of the brain to facilitate control. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stem cells are immature cells. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biological environment is a tissue. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biological environment is a cell culture.