Bacterial Autonomous Intelligent Microrobots for Biomedical Applications.

Journal: Wiley interdisciplinary reviews. Nanomedicine and nanobiotechnology
PMID:

Abstract

Micro/nanorobots are being increasingly utilized as new diagnostic and therapeutic platforms in the biomedical field, enabling remote navigation to hard-to-reach tissues and the execution of various medical procedures. Although significant progress has been made in the development of biomedical micro/nanorobots, how to achieve closed-loop control of them from sensing, memory, and precise trajectory planning to feedback to carry out biomedical tasks remains a challenge. Bacteria with self-propulsion and autonomous intelligence properties are well suited to be engineered as microrobots to achieve closed-loop control for biomedical applications. By virtue of synthetic biology, bacterial microrobots possess an expanded genetic toolbox, allowing them to load input sensors to respond or remember external signals. To achieve accurate control in the complex physiological environment, the development of bacterial microrobots should be matched with the corresponding control system design. In this review, a detailed summary of the sensing and control mechanisms of bacterial microrobots is presented. The engineering and applications of bacterial microrobots in the biomedical field are highlighted. Their future directions of bacterial autonomous intelligent microrobots for precision medicine are forecasted.

Authors

  • Haotian Chen
    Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China.
  • Yingze Li
    Translational Medical Center for Stem Cell Therapy and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Tongji University, 1800 Yuntai Road, Shanghai, 200123, China.
  • Zhenguang Li
    Translational Medical Center for Stem Cell Therapy and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Tongji University, 1800 Yuntai Road, Shanghai, 200123, China.
  • Yuantai Sun
    Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
  • Weicheng Gu
    Frontiers Science Center for Intelligent Autonomous Systems, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
  • Chang Chen
    Biomass Energy and Environmental Engineering Research Center, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 505 Zonghe Building A, 15 North 3rd Ring East Road, Beijing, 100029, China. chenchang@mail.buct.edu.cn.
  • Yu Cheng