Editor: Bolysbek Dana
Author: Akhmetzhanova Inara
Translator: Tulkibaeva Nursulu
Diseases of the brain are difficult to treat because this organ is anatomically complex and well protected by the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Zhiguang Wu (Zhiguang Wu) team from the Harbin University of Technology has developed a robot that will help avoid the complexity of transporting medicine to the brain cells. According to the authors' ideas, this method will be a key in the treatment of many diseases of the nervous system.
The invention is called "neutrobot" because fragments of neutrophils (white blood cells involved in fighting infection) and immune blood cells were used for its construction. The principle of operation lies in the relationship between the polymer framework and the magnetic nanogel. The magnetic nanogel can collect into itself a sufficient amount of water with the desired drug. Next, the gel particles were coated with fragments of cell membranes of E. coli bacteria.
In the body, the gel with bacterial particles was attacked by neutrophils and absorbed by them. Due to the magnetic properties of the nanogel, their movement can be controlled by acting on an external magnetic field to guide the cells to the brain. In this way, neutrophils containing drug particles can pass easily and on their own, being attracted by inflammatory signals from the diseased brain.
Scientists have already conducted successful research both on test tubes and on laboratory animals. At the moment, the method is being finalized, and above all, the management of the "smart pill".
