Noncytotoxic artificial bacterial flagella fabricated from biocompatible ORMOCOMP and iron coating

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Magnetic microrobots offer potential for minimally invasive surgery, diagnosis, and therapy.
• Artificial bacterial flagella (ABFs) are microrobots using magnetic helical propulsion, but biocompatibility is crucial.
• Fabrication materials for ABFs require careful consideration for safe biomedical use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and evaluate biocompatible magnetic microrobots (ABFs) for biomedical applications.
• To assess the cytotoxicity and cellular interactions of Fe-coated ORMOCOMP ABFs.
• To characterize the propulsion performance of these novel ABFs.

Main Methods:

• Fabricated helical ABF bodies using biocompatible ORMOCOMP photoresist.
• Coated ORMOCOMP structures with iron (Fe) for magnetic actuation.
• Performed MTT assays to evaluate cell viability and observed cell morphology on ABF arrays.
• Characterized ABF swimming performance using a Helmholtz coil system.

Main Results:

• Fe-coated ORMOCOMP layers demonstrated no significant cytotoxicity over 72 hours.
• Cells exhibited normal morphology and interactions with the ABF surfaces.
• Fe-coated ABFs achieved a maximum speed of 48.9 μm/s under specific magnetic field conditions.

Conclusions:

• Fe-coated ORMOCOMP ABFs are biocompatible and exhibit promising propulsion capabilities.
• These microrobots have potential for in vivo biomedical applications, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.
• Further development of these magnetic microrobots could advance targeted medical interventions.