MSGID: 1:317/3 6427b382   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Microrobot technology: Externally connecting in vivo neural networks   
      
      
     Date:   
         March 31, 2023   
     Source:   
         DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology)   
     Summary:   
         Researchers have developed a technology for delivering a microrobot   
         to a target point of a hippocampus in an in-vitro environment,   
         connecting neural networks, and measuring neural signals. The   
         findings are expected to contribute to neural network research   
         and the verification and analysis of cell therapy products.   
      
      
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   FULL STORY   
   ==========================================================================   
   Research teams led by Professor Hongsoo Choi and Professor Yongseok   
   Oh from DGIST joined the research team led by Dr. Jongcheol Rah from   
   Korea Brain Research Institute to develop the technology for delivering a   
   microrobot to a target point of a hippocampus in an in vitro environment,   
   connecting neural networks, and measuring neural signals. The research   
   findings are expected to contribute to neural network research and the   
   verification and analysis of cell therapy products.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   The research team led by Professor Hongsoo Choi from DGIST (President   
   Kuk Yang) in the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering   
   has developed a microrobot capable of forming neural networks and   
   sectioning hippocampal tissues in an in vitro environment in an ex vivo[1]   
   state. Through the joint research with the team led by Dr. Jongcheol   
   Rah from Korea Brain Research Institute, the possibility of analyzing   
   structurally and functionally connected neural networks using a microrobot   
   in an in vitro environment during cell delivery and transplantation   
   has been confirmed. The research findings are expected to be applied   
   in various fields, including neural networks, cell therapy products,   
   and regenerative medicine.   
      
   Cell therapy products and cell delivery technology have been developed to   
   regenerate nerve cells damaged by diseases; in recent years, various   
   technologies involving microrobots capable of precise, minimally   
   invasive[2] cell delivery has been gaining recognition. Previous studies   
   on cell delivery and neural network connections using microrobots only   
   verified structural and functional connections of cells at the cell level.   
      
   The research team led by Professor Choi used microrobots in which   
   neural network connection can be practically applied. This technology   
   used microrobots to enable the analysis of neural networks functionally   
   connected in an ex vivo environment and cell delivery; the brain tissue   
   of a laboratory mouse was used to conduct the experiment.   
      
   The research team first attached superparamagnetic[3] iron oxide   
   nanoparticles to the principal nerve cells of the hippocampus of the   
   laboratory mouse to fabricate the Mag-Neurobot in a three-dimensional   
   spherical form. Magnetic nanoparticles were attached to the outside of the   
   robot so that the robot could move to a desired location by reacting to   
   external magnetic fields. Safety was also verified via a biocompatibility   
   test, in which the magnetism of the robot did not affect the growth of   
   nerve cells.   
      
   The research team placed the microrobot in the hippocampus tissue section   
   of the mouse through magnetic field control. Through immunofluorescence   
   staining [4], the team observed that the cells in the microrobot and   
   the cells in the hippocampus tissue section were structurally connected   
   through neurites.   
      
   Furthermore, a microelectrode array (MEA) was used to stimulate the nerve   
   cells in the microrobot to determine whether the nerve cells delivered by   
   the microrobot exhibits typical electrophysiological characteristics. It   
   was verified that electric signals are typically propagated through   
   the nerve cells within the hippocampus tissue section. Accordingly, the   
   research team confirmed that the nerve cells delivered by the microrobot   
   could functionally form cells and neural networks inside the hippocampus   
   tissue section of a laboratory mouse. In addition, the team demonstrated   
   that the microrobot could perform the roles of delivering nerve cells   
   and forming artificial neural networks.   
      
   Dr. Choi of DGIST said "We have proven that a microrobot and nerve   
   tissues of a mouse brain can be functionally connected through an   
   electrophysiological analysis" and added, "the technology developed in   
   this study is expected to be utilized for verifying a precisely targeted   
   treatment in neurological disorder and cell therapy fields."  This study   
   was supported by NSCN, NRF, and the Ministry of Science and ICT, and   
   the research findings have been published online in Advanced Materials   
   (JSR IF 32.086, top 2.1% in the field), one of the most highly rated   
   journals in the field of materials, on February 15th (Wed.).   
      
   Notes: [1] Ex vivo: Removing organs or tissues outside the body for   
   treatment purposes and then returning them to the original position [2]   
   Minimally invasive: Minimizing the incision area to reduce the physical   
   burden of a patient [3] Superparamagnetism: Spins are aligned in the same   
   direction, but the spins are not aligned overall even when a magnetic   
   field is applied.   
      
   [4] Immunofluorescence staining: Visualization technology used for   
   determining the location within a cell of specific proteins using the   
   antibody of a specific molecule, often a protein, in cells or tissues.   
      
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Mind_&_Brain   
                   # Brain-Computer_Interfaces # Neuroscience # Brain_Injury   
             o Plants_&_Animals   
                   # Biology # Molecular_Biology # Developmental_Biology   
             o Matter_&_Energy   
                   # Medical_Technology # Engineering # Biochemistry   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Neural_network o Artificial_neural_network o   
             Cognitive_neuroscience o Biophysics o Gene_therapy o Retina   
             o How_internal_organs_form o Vector_(biology)   
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Story Source: Materials provided by   
   DGIST_(Daegu_Gyeongbuk_Institute_of_Science_and Technology). Note:   
   Content may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. Eunhee Kim, Sungwoong Jeon, Yoon‐Sil Yang, Chaewon Jin,   
         Jin‐young Kim, Yong‐Seok Oh, Jong‐Cheol Rah,   
         Hongsoo Choi. A Neurospheroid‐Based Microrobot for Targeted   
         Neural Connections in a Hippocampal Slice. Advanced Materials,   
         2023; 35 (13) DOI: 10.1002/adma.202208747   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230331120625.htm   
      
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