Enhanced Microsphere Transport in Capillary by Conditioned Cells of Green Paramecia Used as Living Micromachines Controlled by Electric Stimuli

Abstract

Some researchers have described the cells of Paramecium species as "swimming sensory cells" or "swimming neurons" applicable to micro-biorobotics and biological micro-electromechanical systems (BioMEMS). Paramecium species including green paramecia (Paramecium bursaria) migrate towards the anodic electrode when exposed to an electric field. This type of cellular movement is known as galvanotaxis. Because the ideal micromachines designed for microparticle transport must have a capacity for loading certain numbers of particles, P. bursaria was chosen as a model organism. In this study, we show enhanced microparticle transport by overcoming (i) the particle size limitation for the cell-mediated transport of microspheres of up to ca. 10 µm size (doubling the size of particles ever reported) and (ii) the limit of cellular migration distance manifested by galvanotactically stimulated cells.