Microrobot technology: Externally connecting in vivo neural networks
Date:
March 31, 2023
Source:
DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology)
Summary:
Researchers have developed a technology for delivering a microrobot
to a target point of a hippocampus in an in-vitro environment,
connecting neural networks, and measuring neural signals. The
findings are expected to contribute to neural network research
and the verification and analysis of cell therapy products.
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FULL STORY ========================================================================== Research teams led by Professor Hongsoo Choi and Professor Yongseok
Oh from DGIST joined the research team led by Dr. Jongcheol Rah from
Korea Brain Research Institute to develop the technology for delivering a microrobot to a target point of a hippocampus in an in vitro environment, connecting neural networks, and measuring neural signals. The research
findings are expected to contribute to neural network research and the verification and analysis of cell therapy products.
==========================================================================
The research team led by Professor Hongsoo Choi from DGIST (President
Kuk Yang) in the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering
has developed a microrobot capable of forming neural networks and
sectioning hippocampal tissues in an in vitro environment in an ex vivo[1] state. Through the joint research with the team led by Dr. Jongcheol
Rah from Korea Brain Research Institute, the possibility of analyzing structurally and functionally connected neural networks using a microrobot
in an in vitro environment during cell delivery and transplantation
has been confirmed. The research findings are expected to be applied
in various fields, including neural networks, cell therapy products,
and regenerative medicine.
Cell therapy products and cell delivery technology have been developed to regenerate nerve cells damaged by diseases; in recent years, various technologies involving microrobots capable of precise, minimally
invasive[2] cell delivery has been gaining recognition. Previous studies
on cell delivery and neural network connections using microrobots only
verified structural and functional connections of cells at the cell level.
The research team led by Professor Choi used microrobots in which
neural network connection can be practically applied. This technology
used microrobots to enable the analysis of neural networks functionally connected in an ex vivo environment and cell delivery; the brain tissue
of a laboratory mouse was used to conduct the experiment.
The research team first attached superparamagnetic[3] iron oxide
nanoparticles to the principal nerve cells of the hippocampus of the
laboratory mouse to fabricate the Mag-Neurobot in a three-dimensional
spherical form. Magnetic nanoparticles were attached to the outside of the robot so that the robot could move to a desired location by reacting to external magnetic fields. Safety was also verified via a biocompatibility
test, in which the magnetism of the robot did not affect the growth of
nerve cells.
The research team placed the microrobot in the hippocampus tissue section
of the mouse through magnetic field control. Through immunofluorescence staining [4], the team observed that the cells in the microrobot and
the cells in the hippocampus tissue section were structurally connected
through neurites.
Furthermore, a microelectrode array (MEA) was used to stimulate the nerve
cells in the microrobot to determine whether the nerve cells delivered by
the microrobot exhibits typical electrophysiological characteristics. It
was verified that electric signals are typically propagated through
the nerve cells within the hippocampus tissue section. Accordingly, the research team confirmed that the nerve cells delivered by the microrobot
could functionally form cells and neural networks inside the hippocampus
tissue section of a laboratory mouse. In addition, the team demonstrated
that the microrobot could perform the roles of delivering nerve cells
and forming artificial neural networks.
Dr. Choi of DGIST said "We have proven that a microrobot and nerve
tissues of a mouse brain can be functionally connected through an electrophysiological analysis" and added, "the technology developed in
this study is expected to be utilized for verifying a precisely targeted treatment in neurological disorder and cell therapy fields." This study
was supported by NSCN, NRF, and the Ministry of Science and ICT, and
the research findings have been published online in Advanced Materials
(JSR IF 32.086, top 2.1% in the field), one of the most highly rated
journals in the field of materials, on February 15th (Wed.).
Notes: [1] Ex vivo: Removing organs or tissues outside the body for
treatment purposes and then returning them to the original position [2] Minimally invasive: Minimizing the incision area to reduce the physical
burden of a patient [3] Superparamagnetism: Spins are aligned in the same direction, but the spins are not aligned overall even when a magnetic
field is applied.
[4] Immunofluorescence staining: Visualization technology used for
determining the location within a cell of specific proteins using the
antibody of a specific molecule, often a protein, in cells or tissues.
* RELATED_TOPICS
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# Biology # Molecular_Biology # Developmental_Biology
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# Medical_Technology # Engineering # Biochemistry
* RELATED_TERMS
o Neural_network o Artificial_neural_network o
Cognitive_neuroscience o Biophysics o Gene_therapy o Retina
o How_internal_organs_form o Vector_(biology)
========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by DGIST_(Daegu_Gyeongbuk_Institute_of_Science_and Technology). Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.
========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Eunhee Kim, Sungwoong Jeon, Yoon‐Sil Yang, Chaewon Jin,
Jin‐young Kim, Yong‐Seok Oh, Jong‐Cheol Rah,
Hongsoo Choi. A Neurospheroid‐Based Microrobot for Targeted
Neural Connections in a Hippocampal Slice. Advanced Materials,
2023; 35 (13) DOI: 10.1002/adma.202208747 ==========================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230331120625.htm
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