2023-12-03 17:00:00
In a remarkable breakthrough, American researchers have developed tiny biological robots, called Anthrobots, from human tracheal cells. These multicellular robots, ranging in size from the width of a human hair to the tip of a sharpened pencil, have demonstrated an impressive healing effect on other cells. This finding might enable the use of patient-derived biobots as new therapeutic tools for regeneration, healing and disease treatment.
Biological robots for healing
The researchers successfully self-assembled these multicellular robots and demonstrated their remarkable healing effect on other cells. This discovery is the starting point for the researchers’ vision of using biobots derived from patients as new therapeutic tools for regeneration, healing and treatment of diseases.
The work is a continuation of previous research carried out in the laboratories of Michael Levin, Vannevar Bush Professor of Biology at theTufts University School of Arts & Sciences, and Josh Bongard at theUniversity of Vermont. They created multicellular biological robots from frog embryo cells called Xenobots, capable of navigating passages, collecting materials, recording information, healing themselves from injuries and even reproducing for a few cycles in an autonomous way.
An aggregate of Anthrobots, or superbot (green), stimulates the growth of neurons (red) where they have been mechanically removed. Crédit : Gizem Gumuskaya, Tufts University
Robots made from human cells
In the study, published in Advanced Science, Levin, along with doctoral student Gizem Gumuskaya, found that bots can indeed be created from adult human cells without any genetic modification. They demonstrate certain abilities beyond what was observed with the Xenobots.
The discovery begins to answer a broader question the lab has been asking: what are the rules that govern how cells assemble and work together in the bodyand can cells be removed from their natural context and recombined into different “body plans» to perform other functions by design?
Synthetic
Researchers have given human cells, following decades of quiet life in the trachea, the chance to reboot and find ways to create new structures and tasks. The researchers found that not only might the cells create new multicellular shapes, but they might also move in different ways across a surface of human neurons grown in a Petri dish and encourage new growth to fill in the gaps caused by scraping the cell layer.
The benefits of using human cells include the ability to build bots from a patient’s own cells to carry out therapeutic work without the risk of triggering an immune response or requiring immunosuppressants. They only last a few weeks before breaking down, so they can easily be reabsorbed by the body once their job is done.
This discovery opens the way to new perspectives in the field of regenerative medicine and biotechnology, with the creation of biological robots capable of healing and regenerating damaged tissues.
For a better understanding
1. What is an Anthrobot?
An Anthrobot is a small biological robot created from human tracheal cells. These multicellular robots can move across a surface and encourage the growth of neurons in a damaged area.
Anthrobots are created from adult human tracheal cells without genetic modification. The researchers successfully made them self-assemble and demonstrated their remarkable healing effect on other cells.
3. What is the difference between Anthrobots and Xenobots?
Xenobots are multicellular biological robots created from cells from frog embryos. Anthrobots, on the other hand, are created from adult human tracheal cells and demonstrate certain abilities beyond what has been observed with Xenobots.
4. What are the potential applications of Anthrobots?
Anthrobots might be used as therapeutic tools for regeneration, healing, and treatment of disease. They might help repair damage to the spinal cord or retinal nerves, recognize bacteria or cancer cells, or deliver drugs to targeted tissues.
5. What are the advantages for creating Anthrobots?
Benefits include the ability to build bots from a patient’s own cells to carry out therapeutic work without the risk of triggering an immune response or requiring immunosuppressants. Anthrobots only last a few weeks before breaking down and can be easily reabsorbed by the body once their job is done.
Main lessons
DescriptionAnthrobots are biological robots created from human tracheal cells. They can move across a surface and encourage the growth of neurons in a damaged area. Anthrobots are created without genetic modification and can self-assemble. They demonstrate capabilities superior to those of Xenobots, biological robots created from cells from frog embryos. Researchers are studying the rules that govern how cells assemble and work in the body. Anthrobots might be used as therapeutic tools for regeneration, healing, and treatment of disease. Benefits of using human cells include reduced risk of immune response and easy reabsorption by the body. Anthrobots can survive approximately 45 to 60 days in the laboratory before degrading naturally. They might help repair damage to the spinal cord, retinal nerves, recognize bacteria or cancer cells, or deliver drugs to targeted tissues. Anthrobots might fill an important niche between nanotechnology and engineered devices taller.
References
Main illustration caption: An Anthrobot is represented, colored in depth, with a crown of eyelashes which ensures the bot’s locomotion. Credit: Gizem Gumuskaya, Tufts University
Article : “Motile Living Biobots Self-Construct from Adult Human Somatic Progenitor Seed Cells“. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202303575
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