Engineering Ice Microneedles Loaded with Cells and Microorganisms for Disease Treatment

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Cell- and microorganism-based therapeutics show potential but face clinical translation challenges like poor compliance and instability.
• Traditional microneedles (MNs) are minimally invasive but struggle with delivering live biological agents.
• Ice microneedles (Ice MNs) are emerging as innovative platforms for preserving the viability of cells and microorganisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in utilizing ice MNs for delivering living cells and microorganisms.
• To summarize the preparation methods, materials, and benefits of ice MNs.
• To explore the biomedical applications of both conventional and ice MNs.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on microneedle technology and its applications.
• Analysis of ice MN fabrication techniques and material properties.
• Examination of studies detailing the use of ice MNs in various therapeutic areas.

Main Results:

• Ice MNs effectively maintain the activity of delivered cells and microorganisms.
• Applications of ice MNs span across tumor treatment, inflammatory diseases, bacterial infections, vaccine delivery, and hair regeneration.
• Ice MNs demonstrate superior advantages over traditional MNs for specific biological payloads.

Conclusions:

• Ice MNs represent a significant advancement in minimally invasive drug delivery for live biological therapeutics.
• Further development and integration of ice MNs with cells and microorganisms hold substantial promise for future clinical breakthroughs.
• Addressing current challenges in ice MN technology will pave the way for broader therapeutic applications.