Bio-Bots Powered by Heart Cells

Jan-23-14 Taking inspiration from the sperm, researchers have created tiny, heart cell-powered bio-bots that swim by lashing their tails.

Many single-celled creatures, such as sperm, propel themselves by whipping their tail, called a flagella, back and forth. To mimic this technique, the research team from the University of Illinois created bio-bots made of an inert, flexible polymer. Each bio-bot consists of a head and tail, with a coating of fibronectin covering the head and the top of the tail to aid in the adhesion of heart cells. When the heart cells bind to the fibronectin, they align themselves and synchronize their beats, causing the tail to whip back and forth and propel the bio-bot forward.

The team has also created bio-bots with two tails, which causes them to swim faster, and they believe adding multiple tails could allow the tiny bots to navigate to specific locations. If the bots can be directed, then they could be used to carry cargo to specific areas as they respond to light or chemical cues.

More Info about this Invention:

[GIZMAG.COM]
[UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS]

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