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Updated: Dec 20, 2025

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Untethered Single Cell Grippers for Active Biopsy.

Qianru Jin1, Yuqian Yang1, Julian A Jackson1

  • 1Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States.

Nano Letters
|May 29, 2020
PubMed
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Researchers developed untethered single cell grippers for precise cell capture and excision. These remotely guided microrobots offer a biocompatible solution for advanced biosensing and minimally invasive surgery applications.

Area of Science:

  • Biotechnology
  • Microrobotics
  • Cellular Analysis

Background:

  • Single cell manipulation is crucial for biosensing, biorobotics, and quantitative cell analysis.
  • Existing methods using microbeads, droplets, and microrobots face challenges in simultaneous, biocompatible single cell excision and capture.
  • There is a need for advanced tools to overcome these limitations in cell manipulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop untethered single cell grippers capable of on-demand remote guidance and actuation.
  • To enable the active capture or excision of individual or small groups of cells in a biocompatible manner.
  • To advance tools for high-throughput single cell scale biopsy and lab-on-a-chip devices.

Main Methods:

  • A novel molding method was used to micropattern a thermally responsive wax layer for biocompatible motion actuation.
Keywords:
biomedical engineeringdrug deliverygenomicsmoldingproteomicsroboticstissue sampling

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  • Multifingered grippers utilize residual differential stress in bilayer hinges (silicon oxides) for energy.
  • A magnetic layer facilitates remote guidance through narrow conduits and fixed tissue sections ex vivo.

    • Main Results:

    • Demonstrated untethered single cell grippers with remote guidance and actuation capabilities.
    • Successfully achieved on-demand capture and excision of single cells using biocompatible mechanisms.
    • Validated the use of magnetic guidance for navigating complex biological environments.

    Conclusions:

    • The developed single cell grippers represent a significant advancement in microrobotic tools for cell manipulation.
    • These grippers offer a promising solution for high-throughput single cell biopsy, lab-on-a-chip applications, and minimally invasive surgery.
    • The technology enables precise and biocompatible manipulation of cells, opening new avenues in biological research and medical procedures.