Optogenetic control strategies for cell shape dynamics in starfish oocytes

Cellular shape control is crucial for many living organisms, and the ability to externally manipulate the shape of natural or synthetic cells marks a significant step toward the bottom-up synthesis of artificial life. Chemomechanical waves on active deformable surfaces are a prime example of coordinated cellular shape deformations, playing a pivotal role in force generation and long-range signal transmission, as seen during morphogenesis and cell division. Here, we show how the native shape control machinery of cells can be non-invasively manipulated to induce both wild-type-like and engineered deformations in starfish Patiria miniata oocytes. We use spatiotemporally patterned light stimuli to trigger chemomechanical excitations independent of the cell’s intrinsic guiding cues, granting external control over cell shape. The cellular response to these optogenetic cues is predicted by a theoretical model that combines reaction-diffusion dynamics for biochemical signal processing with Canham-Helfrich-like dynamics to describe shape changes. This theoretical framework uncovers two modes of signal processing within the cell’s native machinery: one governing natural deformations and another accessible via experimental manipulation. Our findings suggest that subtle adjustments to a living cell’s biochemical pathways could pave the way for novel methods of controlling biological systems.