DOI: 10.5061/dryad.tmpg4f5c5
title: Dual-photoresponsive elastomer nanofibres enhanced myofibre hybrid for skeletal muscle actuation

description: Light-responsive polymers offer promising opportunities for remote or
 battery-free actuation in soft robotics. However, many existing systems
 face limitations in responsiveness, processability, and
 biocompatibility—challenges that remain particularly significant in the
 context of muscle loss restoration. Here, we present a
 dual-photoresponsive myofiber-nanofibre hybrid skeletal muscle system
 (MyoHybrid) engineered from optogenetically modified myoblasts cultured on
 a scalable, unidirectionally aligned polyurethane–azobenzene (PAzo)
 nanofiber scaffold. This design enables synergistic photo-actuation
 through the anisotropic integration of myotubes and nanofibers. Compared
 to PAzo flat solid substrate, aligned PAzo nanofibers enhanced
 unidirectional myotube fusion by 25.3 % and improved maturation by 37.7 %.
 Furthermore, optogenetic stimulation of the resulting myofibers led to a
 60 % increase in both contraction velocity and force. This MyoHybrid
 actuator demonstrates a harmonious interface between synthetic nanofibers
 and biological myofibers, offering a programmable platform for
 muscle-on-chip models, biohybrid actuators, and lightdriven soft tissue
 systems. Our work bridges mechanical bionics and cellular actuation,
 paving the way for next-generation soft robotics and regenerative
 technologies. 
description: # Dual-photoresponsive elastomer nanofibres enhanced myofibre hybrid for
 skeletal muscle actuation Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.tmpg4f5c5](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.tmpg4f5c5) ##
 Description of the data and file structure ##### Paper:
 Dual-photoresponsive Elastomer Nanofibres Enhanced Myofibre Hybrid for
 Skeletal Muscle Actuation **Authors:** Lei Wu, Xia Huang, Aimee
 Cheesbrough, Jinke Chang, Jishizhan Chen, Andrew Conn, Jonathan Rossiter,
 Martin Birchall, Ivo Lieberam, Wenhui Song **Description :** This README
 file describes the data package accompanying the above publication. #####
 Files in the Interface_Focus_-Data_Repository.zip: 1. Figure 2
 folder: Includes standard FTIR characterisation of PAzo fibre and film,
 polarised FTIR characterisation of PAzo fibres, and SEM images of random
 and aligned PAzo fibres, together with the corresponding fibre diameter
 and orientation analyses (including raw measurements and processed
 outputs). 2. Figure 3 folder: Includes mechanical characterisation
 datasets for PAzo fibres and film, including raw measurement files and
 processed results used in the manuscript. 3. Figure 4 and Figure S2 and S3
 folder: Includes proliferation datasets for C2C12ChR2 cells cultured on
 PAzo substrates, comprising PrestoBlue and total-DNA assays, as well as
 confocal microscopy images (DAPI and F-actin) of C2C12ChR2 cultured on
 aligned and random PAzo fibres, solid-sheet controls, and coverslip
 controls from Day 1 to Day 10. 4. Figure 5 folder: Includes the analysis
 methods and datasets used for myogenic differentiation quantification,
 covering myotube fusion index, myotube maturation index, myotube length
 and width measurements, and myotube orientation analysis, alongside the
 associated raw data and processed results. 5. Figure 6 folder: Includes
 photomechanical testing datasets for PAzo fibres acquired under varying
 cycle period, light intensity, and wavelength, together with PIV vector
 outputs and velocity analyses of C2C12ChR2 myotube contractions on a
 coverslip control and on nanofibre substrates at 1 Hz. 6. Figure 7 folder:
 Includes frequency-dependent contractility analyses of C2C12ChR2 myotubes
 on aligned PAzo nanofibres, including PIV vectors and velocity analyses at
 1 Hz, 2 Hz, and 4 Hz. 7. Figure S1 folder: Includes SEM images of random
 electrospun PAzo fibres fabricated at different polymer concentrations,
 along with the corresponding fibre diameter distribution analyses. 8.
 Supporting videos folder: Includes eight videos associated with the PIV
 analysis, including PIV vector fields and velocity heat maps of myofibre
 contractions on coverslip controls at 1 Hz (Movie S1–S2), and on nanofibre
 substrates at 1 Hz (Movie S3–S4), 2 Hz (Movie S5–S6), and 4 Hz (Movie
 S7–S8).