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Berlin, November 5: Scientists have developed nanoscale robots capable of actively moving in dense tissues such as the vitreous of the eye, opening the way for minimally invasive tools to administer drugs with precision.
Until now, the transport of nano-vehicles has been demonstrated only in model systems or biological fluids, but not in actual tissues.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Germany applied nanoparticles with a non-stick coating with a width of only 500 nm – small enough to pass through the narrow molecular matrix of the gelatinous substance in the vitreous.
Drills are 200 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, and even smaller than the width of a bacterium, according to a study published in the journal Science Advances.
Their shape and slippery coating allows the nanoparticles to move relatively easily through an eye, without damaging the sensitive biological tissue that surrounds them.
This is the first time that scientists have been able to direct nanobots through dense tissue, as has been demonstrated until now only in model systems or biological fluids.
The researchers' vision is to one day load nanoproters with drugs or other therapeutic agents and direct them to a targeted area, where they can deliver the drug where it is needed.
The targeted delivery of drugs to the interior of dense biological tissues is very difficult, especially at these small scales.
It's the viscous consistency of the inside of the eyeball, the narrow molecular matrix that a nano-propellant has to pass. It acts as a barrier and prevents the penetration of larger structures.
Even if the size requirements are met, the chemical properties of the biopolymeric network in the eye could still cause the nanotube to get stuck in this mesh of molecules.
The researchers designed a size of each nanoparticles not exceeding 500 nanometers and applied a two-layer nonstick coating. The first layer consists of molecules bound to the surface, while the second layer is a liquid fluorocarbon coating.
This significantly decreases the adhesive force between the nanobots and the surrounding tissue.
With the help of a small needle, the researchers injected tens of thousands of helical robots the size of a bacteria in the vitreous humor of a pork eye. With the help of a surrounding magnetic field that rotates the nanoprojectors, these then swim to the retina, where the swarm arises.
Sliding nanorobots enter an eye. The goal of the researchers was to be able to precisely control the swarm in real time.
The team is already working one day on the use of its nano-vehicles for targeted delivery applications. MHN
MHN
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