Recent patents and advances on applications of magnetic nanoparticles and thin films in cell manipulation

Cell manipulation is instrumental in most biological applications. One of the most promising methods in handling cells and other biological particles is the magnetic manipulation technique. In this technique, magnetic nanoparticles are employed to magnetize cells. Such cells then can be manipulated, sorted, or separated by applying an external magnetic field. In this work, first recent works and patents on the synthesis methods used for producing magnetic nanoparticles are investigated. These methods include co-precipitation, solvothermal, electrical wire explosion, microemulsion, laser pyrolysis, spray pyrolysis and carbon reduction. Then recent patents and articles on surface modification and functionalization of magnetic nanoparticles using polymers, dithiocarbamate, superparamagnetic shells, antibodies, graphene shells, and fluorescent materials are reviewed. Finally, different techniques on magnetic cell manipulation, such as direct attaching of magnetic particles to cells, employing intercellular markers or extra support molecules, as well as magnetic thin films, microfluidic channels and magnetic beads, are studied.