@manuelthery.bsky.social Oui! We sometimes see that in our bioelectric steering assays, but those self-contacts are transient and quickly result in membrane fusion. Watch the cell when it changes direction. This is electrotaxis —the cell is programmed to go ‘left’/‘right’/‘left’ (F-actin)

And self-adhesions are more than just pretty—they slow migration down and stabilize cells; exactly what you might want at the interface between skin and an implant, for example. This type of adhesion might also help future neural implants, or help fuse living/non-living materials in future machines!

It allows shaping the electric field, from single cells (first video) to sculpting whole tissues (movie below). This was several years of Yubin and Jeremy's lives; it's now changing what we know and do with electricity to control cell behaviors. It's so cool--please use it, we will help/share!

It really does work for all sorts of model systems and culture set-ups, even transwells. Transmitted light, epifluor, confocal are all good! Here it is driving an electric field perpendicular to small cell colonies cultured on a transwell and causing them to expand and contract.

SCHEPHERD--the bioelectric cell herding platform built for YOU. Single cells, monolayers, organoids--this herds them all + new tricks. Plz try it-- we will *give* you parts! Teaser here of a steering a single cell. GS Yubin Lin's lifeblood with J. Yodh on piano; Celeste R. and Paul K. Thread 1/N

Best paper title?: “How to make a new nose for someone when it is off entirely and the dog has eaten it”—c.1460 von Pfalzpaint.

I talk noses: @npr.org Shortwave (Regina Barber) tinyurl.com/23dvwzmv

Video of my nightclub version @oddsalon.bsky.social
tinyurl.com/4snnacs3

#storiesmatter
(my art)

H’okay; let’s try it here! We use swarm behaviors, bioelectricity, and biomaterials to herd living cells like sheepdogs and sheep. New site live: cohenlab.princeton.edu. I really want to more frequently share my amazing crew’s work ! Starting with an oldie vid—living Escher! More soon, for serious.