Shape-programmed 3D printed swimming microtori for the transport of passive and active agents

Baker, Remmi; Montenegro‐Johnson, Thomas D.; Sediako, Anton D.; Thomson, Murray J.; Sen, Ayusman; Lauga, Eric; Aranson, Igor S.

doi:10.1038/s41467-019-12904-0

Cited by 59 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Overall, these findings provide new insights into the control of biological and synthetic microswimmers in complex anisotropic fluids. With the rapid development of 3D microprinting technology, microswimmers with desired complex shape can be designed 35 . Patterning and functionalization of the microswimmer's surface may control the slip velocity distribution and thus the puller/pusher type (parameter β in our description).…”

Section: And the Expression For Torque Formentioning

confidence: 99%

Surface anchoring controls orientation of a microswimmer in nematic liquid crystal

et al. 2020

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Microscopic swimmers, both living and synthetic, often dwell in anisotropic viscoelastic environments. The most representative realization of such an environment is water-soluble liquid crystals. Here, we study how the local orientation order of liquid crystal affects the motion of a prototypical elliptical microswimmer. In the framework of well-validated Beris-Edwards model, we show that the microswimmer’s shape and its surface anchoring strength affect the swimming direction and can lead to reorientation transition. Furthermore, there exists a critical surface anchoring strength for non-spherical bacteria-like microswimmers, such that swimming occurs perpendicular in a sub-critical case and parallel in super-critical case. Finally, we demonstrate that for large propulsion speeds active microswimmers generate topological defects in the bulk of the liquid crystal. We show that the location of these defects elucidates how a microswimmer chooses its swimming direction. Our results can guide experimental works on control of bacteria transport in complex anisotropic environments.

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Section: And the Expression For Torque Formentioning

confidence: 99%

Surface anchoring controls orientation of a microswimmer in nematic liquid crystal

et al. 2020

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“…Recent advances in microswimmers have exhibited considerable biomedical potential for targeted delivery, disease monitoring, and minimally invasive surgery, and so on. [ 1–6 ] Until now, most of the propelled microrobots have been used in vitro, and only a few in vivo studies have appeared recently. [ 7–9 ] Notwithstanding the accomplishment, there are still obstacles in successful applications of diseases theranostic, such as cancer.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Photosynthetic Biohybrid Nanoswimmers System to Alleviate Tumor Hypoxia for FL/PA/MR Imaging‐Guided Enhanced Radio‐Photodynamic Synergetic Therapy

Zhong

et al. 2020

Adv Funct Materials

125

108

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Biohybrid microswimmers have recently shown to be able to actively perform in targeted delivery and in vitro biomedical applications. However, more envisioned functionalities of the microswimmers aimed at in vivo treatments are still challenging. A photosynthetic biohybrid nanoswimmers system (PBNs), magnetic engineered bacteria-Spirulina platensis, is utilized for tumor-targeted imaging and therapy. The engineered PBNs is fabricated by superparamagnetic magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 NPs) via a dip-coating process, enabling its tumor targeting ability and magnetic resonance imaging property after intravenous injection. It is found that the PBNs can be used as oxygenerator for in situ O 2 generations in hypoxic solid tumors through photosynthesis, modulating the tumor microenvironment (TME), thus improving the effectiveness of radiotherapy (RT). Furthermore, the innate chlorophyll released from the RT-treated PBNs, as a photosensitizer, can produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species under laser irradiation to achieve photodynamic therapy. Excellent tumor inhibition can be realized by the combined multimodal therapies. The PBNs also possesses capacities of chlorophyll-based fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging, which can monitor the tumor therapy and tumor TME environment. These intriguing properties of the PBNs provide a promising microrobotic platform for TME hypoxic modulation and cancer theranostic applications.

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“…Experimental techniques and theoretical concepts developed in the course of this work may yield strategies for controlling and manipulation of collective states in active colloids. Potential applications range from mixing and transport at the microscale to microrobotic functionality (46,47).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emergence of self-organized multivortex states in flocks of active rollers

Han

Kokot

Tovkach

et al. 2020

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Active matter, both synthetic and biological, demonstrates complex spatiotemporal self-organization and the emergence of collective behavior. A coherent rotational motion, the vortex phase, is of great interest because of its ability to orchestrate well-organized motion of self-propelled particles over large distances. However, its generation without geometrical confinement has been a challenge. Here, we show by experiments and computational modeling that concentrated magnetic rollers self-organize into multivortex states in an unconfined environment. We find that the neighboring vortices more likely occur with the opposite sense of rotation. Our studies provide insights into the mechanism for the emergence of coherent collective motion on the macroscale from the coupling between microscale rotation and translation of individual active elements. These results may stimulate design strategies for self-assembled dynamic materials and microrobotics.

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Shape-programmed 3D printed swimming microtori for the transport of passive and active agents

Cited by 59 publications

References 52 publications

Surface anchoring controls orientation of a microswimmer in nematic liquid crystal

Surface anchoring controls orientation of a microswimmer in nematic liquid crystal

Photosynthetic Biohybrid Nanoswimmers System to Alleviate Tumor Hypoxia for FL/PA/MR Imaging‐Guided Enhanced Radio‐Photodynamic Synergetic Therapy

Emergence of self-organized multivortex states in flocks of active rollers

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