Have you ever imagined a robot smaller than a human hair, capable of traversing through your body to stimulate nerve cell growth in damaged areas? This may become a reality in just a few years, scientists from Tufts University and Harvard University in the United States have demonstrated through laboratory experiments the potential of this concept using human cells isolated from the trachea.
Scientists have long been working on creating biological robots that can perform tasks within the body, but the novel approach presented by the researchers from Tufts and Harvard brings their idea closer to practical application. They have used human cells to construct these biological robots, setting their work apart from previous endeavors that aimed to produce biological robots, named “xenobots,” from stem cells derived from frog embryos.
The “xenobots,” designed by researchers at the University of Vermont and other institutions, were hailed as a groundbreaking development in biotechnology. The intention behind creating these bots was to explore the potential of living cells to carry out specific tasks such as delivering targeted medications. However, a major challenge preventing these biological robots from taking a step further into practical application has been “biocompatibility” with the human body and concerns over potentially unacceptable immune responses.
The significant innovation by the research team, led by Tufts University Ph.D. researcher Gizem Gumuskaya, lies in manufacturing biological robots from mature human cells without any genetic modifications.
Models of these new biological robots, dubbed “anthrobots,” are capable of movement and can encourage nerve cell growth in areas of damage, as described by researcher Gizem Gumuskaya.
**Manufacturing the Robots**
Starting from a single cell taken from the surface of the human trachea, the researchers managed to fabricate the “anthrobots” through various steps detailed in their study published in the journal “Advanced Science”:
– **Cell Sources**: The scientists began their experiments by obtaining cells from the surface of the trachea.
– **Cell Cultivation and Expansion**: The cells were cultured in a controlled laboratory setting, nurtured, and allowed to proliferate, leading to a larger collection of cells.
– **Cell Programming and Processing**: The researchers treated these cells using diverse techniques, without conducting any genetic modifications.
– **Assembly and Organization**: The cells were arranged into the desired structures or shapes. This process involved using molds or specialized techniques to encourage the cells to adhere to one another and form the intended structure.
– **Development and Function Testing**: Once the structure was formed, the bio-robots were tested to verify functional performance, including their capacity to carry out tasks or exhibit desired behaviors like movement, interaction with other cells or materials, healing abilities, or targeted functions.
– **Application and Testing**: Finally, these bio-robots were tested in various applications, including laboratory procedures to observe their behavior in controlled experiments or even inside living organisms to evaluate their effectiveness in real-world scenarios.
(See the upcoming video showcasing a swarm of “anthrobots”)
**Promising Therapeutic Capabilities**
According to a report on Tufts University’s website, the researchers tested the robots’ healing abilities by creating artificial wounds in layers of human neural cells grown in the lab. When the robots were concentrated on these “wounds,” they significantly promoted the regeneration of nerve cells, suggesting promising healing capabilities in these controlled conditions.
The research team envisions various applications for the robots, such as treating arterial plaque accumulation, repairing nerve damage, detecting pathogens or cancer cells, and delivering targeted drugs. These robots could aid in tissue healing and offer regenerative medicine benefits.
An additional significant finding from the lab experiments is that these biological robots typically operate efficiently for a period ranging between 45 to 60 days before they naturally degrade.
(Watch the following video of an “anthrobot” bridging a gap in nerve cells grown on a lab dish)
**Three Advantages and Two Questions**
The idea appears promising, and its lab results are encouraging for swiftly moving to clinical trials, says Najwa al-Badri, Professor and Founding Head of the Biomedical Sciences Program at Zewail City of Science and Technology and Innovation in Egypt. In a phone conversation with Al Jazeera Net, al-Badri highlights three key advantages that could hasten this work’s progress toward clinical trials:
– **Firstly**: The cells used to create “anthrobots” can be sourced from the patient themselves, thus avoiding the significant issue of administering immunosuppressive drugs to patients when transplanting foreign organs to prevent immune system attacks.
– **Secondly**: The cells in use undergo no genetic engineering; they self-organize naturally without intervention, which greatly enhances the safety and security profile.
– **Thirdly**: The tracheal cells used in the study can be obtained from the patient noninvasively and have cilia that aid in movement. The researchers have discovered a method to make this collective cell movement faster and more manageable.
Al-Badri anticipates that in the coming period, the research team will work on answering two critical questions, which would significantly bolster their work toward clinical trials:
– **Firstly**: The mechanism of neural growth – Understanding how “anthrobots” encourage nerve cell regeneration could provide broader insights into cellular interactions and tissue regeneration and could contribute to the development of neural repair treatments.
– **Secondly**: Safety and long-term viability – Although the robots show promise, the long-term effects and potential risks associated with their use must be understood. They can function efficiently in lab environments for up to 60 days before naturally decaying, but the question remains: Will they perform for the same duration within the human body?
