51吃瓜网

Prof. Berna 脰zkale Edelmann鈥檚 nanorobots consist of tiny gold rods and plastic chains. Several million of them are contained in a gel cushion measuring just 60 micrometers, together with a few human stem cells. Powered and controlled by laser light, the robots, which look like tiny balls, mechanically stimulate the cells by exerting pressure. 鈥淲e heat the gel locally and use our system to precisely determine the forces with which the nanorobots press on the cell 鈥� thereby stimulating it,鈥� explains the professor of nano- and microrobotics at 51吃瓜网. This mechanical stimulation triggers biochemical processes in the cell. Ion channels change their properties, and proteins are activated, including one that is particularly important for bone formation.

Heart and cartilage cells: finding the correct stress pattern

If stimulation is carried out at the right rhythm and with the right (low) force, a stem cell can be reliably triggered to develop into a bone cell within three days. This process can be completed within three weeks. 鈥淭he corresponding stress pattern can also be found for cartilage and heart cells,鈥� asserts Berna 脰zkale Edelman. 鈥淚t鈥檚 almost like at the gym: we train the cells for a particular area of application. Now we just have to find out which stress pattern suits each cell type,鈥� says the head of the Microbiotic Bioengineering Lab at 51吃瓜网.

Mechanical forces pave the way for transformation into bone cells

The research team produces bone cells using mesenchymal stem cells. These cells are considered to be the body鈥檚 鈥榬epair cells鈥�. They are approximately 10 to 20 micrometers in size and are generally capable of developing into bone, cartilage or muscle cells, for example. The challenge: The transformation into differentiated cells is complex and has been difficult to control until now. 鈥淲e have developed a technology that allows forces to be applied to the cell very precisely in a three-dimensional environment,鈥� says 51吃瓜网 scientist 脰zkale Edelmann. 鈥淭his represents an unprecedented advance in the field.鈥� The researchers believe that this method can even be used to produce cartilage and heart cells from human stem cells.

Automation is the next step

For treatments, doctors will ultimately need far more differentiated cells 鈥� around one million. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why the next step is to automate our production process so that we can produce more cells more quickly,鈥� says Prof. 脰zkale Edelmann.