Biomimetic Mosquito-Like Microneedles

Ramasubramanian, Melur K.; Agarwala, Ranjeet

doi:10.1007/978-94-017-9780-1_368

Cited by 1 publication

(7 citation statements)

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“…The mosquito proboscis, shown in Figure 2, is a sophisticated needle-like system consisting of many parts that act in unison to pierce through the epidermis of the host [4,[24][25][26]. The two major structures of the proboscis are the labium, a retractable and flexible outer sheath; and the fascicle, an internal needle-shaped vessel structure that permits blood flow.…”

Section: Mimicking the Mosquito Biting Processmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The labrum is a pointed and hollow tube with "nanosharp" tips that are used to pierce the blood vessels and transport blood. The hypopharynx is another hollow tube, but its purpose is to transport saliva to the blood vessels to either numb the host's nerves or to create an anti-clotting agent [24][25][26]. As a female mosquito lands on her host animal's skin, she uses her labium to locate a feeding spot.…”

Section: Mimicking the Mosquito Biting Processmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The flexible labrum plunges into the vessel network in a repeated and aimless manner and uses sensing elements to detect blood. The vibrating labrum lacerates the blood vessel and then draws up the exposed clot-free blood [24][25][26].…”

Section: Mimicking the Mosquito Biting Processmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Refinement of needle design could make the transdermal administration of drugs more efficient and increase patient compliance for mediations requiring routine injections. The anatomical structure and physiological functions of the mouthparts that mosquitoes use to pierce skin and extract blood of their prey have inspired the development of a collection of medical devices that penetrate the skin with ease [24].…”

Section: Proboscis-inspired Microneedlesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Table 1 summarizes the mimicked proboscis part, in addition to shape, size, and material composition details for microneedles discussed. For a description of individual mosquito-inspired microneedle characteristics, along with complementary discussions of skin-penetration mechanics, we direct the reader to review manuscripts by Ramasubramanian et al and Ramasubramanian and Agarwala [12,24]. Readers can also refer to Lenau et al for a discussion of biological mechanisms, including skin strain, vibration, and insertion velocity, that enable skin penetration by mosquitoes, as well as the associated experimental methods and skin mimics that are utilized [36].…”

Section: Proboscis-inspired Microneedlesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biting Innovations of Mosquito-Based Biomaterials and Medical Devices

Dixon

Vondra

2022

Materials

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Mosquitoes are commonly viewed as pests and deadly predators by humans. Despite this perception, investigations of their survival-based behaviors, select anatomical features, and biological composition have led to the creation of several beneficial technologies for medical applications. In this review, we briefly explore these mosquito-based innovations by discussing how unique characteristics and behaviors of mosquitoes drive the development of select biomaterials and medical devices. Mosquito-inspired microneedles have been fabricated from a variety of materials, including biocompatible metals and polymers, to mimic of the mouthparts that some mosquitoes use to bite a host with minimal injury during blood collection. The salivary components that these mosquitoes use to reduce the clotting of blood extracted during the biting process provide a rich source of anticoagulants that could potentially be integrated into blood-contacting biomaterials or administered in therapeutics to reduce the risk of thrombosis. Mosquito movement, vision, and olfaction are other behaviors that also have the potential for inspiring the development of medically relevant technologies. For instance, viscoelastic proteins that facilitate mosquito movement are being investigated for use in tissue engineering and drug delivery applications. Even the non-wetting nanostructure of a mosquito eye has inspired the creation of a robust superhydrophobic surface coating that shows promise for biomaterial and drug delivery applications. Additionally, biosensors incorporating mosquito olfactory receptors have been built to detect disease-specific volatile organic compounds. Advanced technologies derived from mosquitoes, and insects in general, form a research area that is ripe for exploration and can uncover potential in further dissecting mosquito features for the continued development of novel medical innovations.

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Section: Mimicking the Mosquito Biting Processmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Mimicking the Mosquito Biting Processmentioning

confidence: 99%