Bioengineers from the Institute for intelligent systems max Planck Society and koç University developed microroller able to deliver the drug directly into the tumor to kill cancer cells, but a fundamental novelty of the design is that the robot is able to move in the bloodstream and against the flow of blood, due to action of magnets. It is reported by Science Robotics.
targeted delivery of medication essential in the treatment of cancer when used drugs with significant side effects. For example, chemotherapy using the drug doxorubicin, but it is so toxic that not only destroys the tumor but also harm to other organs and systems. Through targeted delivery of the drug directly into the tumor this effect can be substantially reduced.
Although the area of medical micro-robots have advanced over the last decade, their use inside the human body was limited to superficial tissues and places with relatively easy access. Minimally invasive introduction and deployment of medical microrobots in the tissues in the deeper areas inside the human body in the circulatory system remains problematic.
the Circulatory system represents an ideal route to navigate, given the possibility of access to all bodies and any distant tissues. However, the blood flow impairs the movement of microrobots, especially for those whose overall dimensions less than 10 micrometers. In addition, in conditions of dynamic flow, it is important to maintain the integrity of the “package” before reaching the target site. Diffusion-oriented delivery of goods in mikrohromatichesky systems can suffer from explosive ejection of molecules of the cargo before reaching the target object.
In their study, the developers described as a multifunctional magnetic microroller allow for guided navigation in complex configurations, blood flow at physiological shear stress of blood vessels. Surface movement of white blood cells that support the vascular wall, can be simulated in a surface-crawling or rolling microrobots for effective promotion in areas of weakened blood flow.
Another important feature for the targeted application of mobile robots is an effective therapeutic delivery. Microroller must recognize target cells through receptors on the membrane surface. This is especially important in the absence of the medical imaging techniques of high resolution.
For this, the researchers used antibodies targeting HER2 for HER2-expressing breast cancer cells. This approach can be extended to target other types of cancer or vascular diseases.
Finally, on the last floor��PE micro-robots must be securely attached to the target cells to ensure their long-term impact on the destination.
the Proposed developers microroller with magnetic traction and steering control can achieve a top speed of up to 600 microns per second, and at the moment are one of the fastest magnetic microrobots. They are driven against the physiological blood flow and generate upward momentum to move on an inclined three-dimensional surfaces in a physiologically significant blood flow.
Spherical microroller consists of magnetically responsive microparticles comprising antibodies against the cancer cells (anti-HER2) and silica a half for biochemical functions and loading of cargo molecules split lung cancer drugs (doxorubicin). They are made by successive deposition of Ni nanofilms (thickness from 60 to 2 µm) and Au (20 nm thick) on pre-dried monolayer of silica (SiO2) particles with a diameter of 7.8-and 3-microns. Multifunctional microroller are driven and controlled by external rotating magnetic fields.
“the Possibility of surface-rolling magnetic microrobots presented in this paper represent a unique versatility, their ability to an upward movement and managed navigation in physiological blood flow in three-dimensional channels,” the study says.
It lays the Foundation for the development of micro-robots for a new generation of managed navigation and delivery in the circulatory system.
