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Published on: September 18, 2015
Nature-Inspired Magnetic Cilia for Detection and Early Intervention of Vascular Stenosis
Lei Li1, Qianhui Wang1, Tianfeng Zhou2
1School of Medical Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
Biological fluids provide critical cues of tissue health, yet most monitoring technologies are constrained to superficial signals, leaving deeper pathophysiological changes-such as those driving vascular stenosis-undetected until advanced stages. Here we report a bioinspired magnetic artificial cilia (MAC) platform that couples wireless flow sensing with localized drug delivery for early vascular intervention. The system integrates mechanically responsive EcoFlex-NdFeB composite cilia with reactive oxygen species (ROS)-activated nanovesicles (NVs). Under pathological hemodynamic disturbances, MAC deformation reorients the programmed remanent magnetization and redistributes the stray magnetic field, enabling near-field external detection in without implanted electronics. Concurrently, thioketal-functionalized NVs release anti-inflammatory agents in response to elevated ROS at stenotic sites. In vitro flow simulations and endothelial cell co-culture experiments validate the platform's dual capacity for real-time hemodynamic readout and on-demand therapeutic release. By uniting wireless mechanosensing with autonomous biochemical regulation, this hybrid system establishes a paradigm for intelligent, minimally invasive management of fluid-associated pathologies and offers a pathway toward early diagnosis and precision therapy.

