arXiv subjects

Nako Nakatsuka

Publications and source records attributed to Nako Nakatsuka.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Bioelectrical interfaces beyond excitable cells: cancer, aging, and gene expression modulation

The investigation of biological conductivity has evolved from its classical foundation based on ionic fluxes underpinning cardiac and neuronal excitability to a multifaceted regulator of cellular physiology. Traditional approaches for probing electrical events in living matter focused largely on action potentials recording. However, bioelectricity in non-excitable cells governs key phenomena, including developmental patterning, tissue homeostasis, and disease progression. Pioneering studies implicated endogenous bioelectrics in many aspects of morphogenesis, wound healing, regeneration, and cancer. Early findings laid the groundwork for viewing bioelectricity as a means to influence cell fate, cell cycle progression, differentiation, and senescence. More recently, spatial variations in membrane potential within tumor microenvironments were found to correlate with metastatic potential. In parallel, substantial breakthroughs have been achieved in designing advanced bioelectrical interfaces for the study of neuronal networks and cardiac function. This perspective bridges the engineering and biological domains by examining how such technologies might enable new insights into non-excitable cell electrical events at different scales of operation to ultimately manipulate cellular pathways in cancer reprogramming, anti-aging interventions, and gene expression modulation.

q-bio.QM↗

arXiv2025

Molecularly imprinted nanopores for multiplexed sensing, release, and in-edge computing

In nanopore technology, the development of multiplexed detection and release platforms with high spatial and temporal resolution remains a significant challenge due to the difficulty in distinguishing signals originating from different nanopores in a single chip. In this work, we present a solid-state nanopore system functionalized with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for the selective detection and controlled release of neurotransmitters. We designed a nanopore array where each nanopore is functionalized with a specific MIP able to recognize specific neurotransmitters (dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and histamine, respectively). The platform demonstrated high performance in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, recovery, and stability. Multiplexed detection with high spatiotemporal resolution of the order of 100 ms/ 3 μm was achieved by specifically depositing MIPs and conductive hydrogels on different nanopores prepared on a single solid-state membrane. The employment of micro-chambers for each nanopore prevented signal cross-talk, thereby enabling simultaneous detection and release of multiple neurotransmitters. Moreover, we demonstrated computing with different logic gates and in-edge computing. This nanopore platform represents a radically novel approach towards hybrid solid-state nanopores able to perform real-time label-free multiplex detection, controlled biomolecule release, and ionic logic computing, addressing key challenges in neurochemical sensing and bio-computation.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2024

Modular plasmonic nanopore for opto-thermal gating

Solid-state nanopore gating inspired by biological ion channels is gaining increasing traction due to a large range of applications in biosensing and drug delivery. Integration of stimuli-responsive molecules such as poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) inside nanopores can enable temperature-dependent gating, which so far has only been demonstrated using external heaters. In this work, we combine plasmonic resonators inside the nanopore architecture with PNIPAM to enable optical gating of individual or multiple nanopores with micrometer resolution and a switching speed of few milliseconds by thermo-plasmonics. We achieve a temperature change of 40 kelvin per millisecond and demonstrate the efficacy of this method using nanopore ionic conductivity measurements that enables selective activation of individual nanopores in an array. Moreover, the selective gating of specific nanopores in an array can set distinct ionic conductance levels: low, medium, and high (i.e., 0, 1, and 2), which could be exploited for logical gating with optical signal control. Such selective optical gating in nanopore arrays marks a breakthrough in nanofluidics, as it paves the way towards smart devices that offer multifunctional applications including biosensing, targeted drug delivery, and fluidic mixing.

physics.app-ph↗