Human cells have created miniature biological robots

2023-12-06

Robots can be created from an adult cell without any genetic modification, what does this mean? For countless patients, this means that biological robots derived from themselves can help them recover their health, heal wounds, and treat diseases, marking a new starting point in the history of medical tool development. Now, researchers from Tufts University and Harvard University in the United States have successfully utilized human tracheal cells to create a miniature biological robot called Anthrobot. It can not only move on the surface of neurons, but also restore the growth of damaged neurons in laboratory culture dishes. The size of this multicellular robot ranges from the width of human hair to a sharpened pencil tip, and it can self assemble and demonstrate significant therapeutic effects on other cells. The research findings published in the journal Advanced Science answer a broader medical question: What are the rules that control the assembly and collaborative work of cells in the body? Can cells recombine according to different "body plans" in their natural growth environment to perform other functions? Human cell robots, mysterious and secure researchers Gizem Gumskaya believe that by reprogramming the interactions between cells, new multicellular structures can be created, similar to stones and bricks that can be arranged into different structures, such as walls, arches, or pillars. They found that these cells not only create multicellular shapes, but also stimulate new growth to fill the gaps caused by scratching the cell layer. Interestingly, scientists are not yet clear on how Anthrobot achieves this, but they have seen that neurons do indeed grow in the area covered by the assembly of the Anthrobot cluster. The advantages of using human cells are very obvious. Firstly, robots constructed by the patient's own cells will not trigger immune responses or bear the risk of immunosuppressive agents when performing treatment tasks; Secondly, they only last for a few weeks before decomposing, so they are easily reabsorbed into the body after work is completed. In vitro, Anthrobot can only survive under specific laboratory conditions without the risk of exposure or accidental transmission outside the laboratory. They do not reproduce, nor have they undergone genetic editing, addition, or deletion, and there is no risk of exceeding guaranteed measures. How human cell robots grow? Each Anthrobot is initially a cell, derived from an adult donor. These cells come from the surface of the trachea, covered with cilia, and can swing back and forth. Cilia help tracheal cells expel tiny particles that enter the airways of the lungs. The human body needs the help of cilia cells to expel particles and excess fluid through coughing or clearing the throat. Early studies have shown that when cells grow in the laboratory, they spontaneously form tiny multicellular spheres called organoids. This time, researchers have developed conditions for cilia to grow outward on organoids. Within a few days, they began to "move around", driven by cilia, like paddles. The team noticed different motion shapes and types, which is the first important feature of the biological robot platform. These created different types of Anthrobots, some of which are spherical and completely fibrous

Edit:GuoGuo    Responsible editor:FangZhiYou

Source:people.cn

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