Acta Optica Sinica (Online), Volume. 2, Issue 18, 1816003(2025)

Cell-Based Medical Microrobots (Invited)

Xiaoshuai Liu1、*, Mengna Ye1, Yihao Chen1, Jiaxi Zheng1, Haifeng Qin2, Guangyi Yang2, Xianchuang Zheng2、**, and Baojun Li2、***
Author Affiliations
  • 1School of Physics and Materials Science, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong , China
  • 2Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Manipulation, Institute of Nanophotonics, College of Physics & Optoelectronic Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, Guangdong , China
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    With the synergistic advancement of micro/nano-fabrication technologies and intelligent control systems, medical microrobots are progressively overcoming the dual limitations of operational precision and invasiveness inherent in traditional diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, thereby providing innovative tools for precision medicine in critical diseases. However, current research predominantly focuses on artificially synthesized materials, whose complex fabrication processes and inherent immunogenicity risks not only lead to rapid clearance by the host immune system but also restrict their long-term therapeutic applications in deep tissues. The in situ construction of medical microrobots based on natural biological cells, achieved through precise modulation of their behaviors via external fields, may offer a transformative solution to resolve these challenges. This review systematically summarizes the design strategies of seven representative cell-based microrobots, including chemotactic bacteria, photosynthetic microalgae, autonomous contractile cardiomyocytes, red blood cells, platelets, macrophages, and neutrophils, with a focus on their recent advancements in drug delivery, minimally invasive surgery, and immunotherapy. Furthermore, this work critically analyzes the current challenges while outlining future research directions and clinical translation prospects.

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    Xiaoshuai Liu, Mengna Ye, Yihao Chen, Jiaxi Zheng, Haifeng Qin, Guangyi Yang, Xianchuang Zheng, Baojun Li. Cell-Based Medical Microrobots (Invited)[J]. Acta Optica Sinica (Online), 2025, 2(18): 1816003

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    Paper Information

    Category: Biological, Medical Optics and Photonics

    Received: Jun. 3, 2025

    Accepted: Jun. 18, 2025

    Published Online: Aug. 7, 2025

    The Author Email: Xiaoshuai Liu (lxshuai@gzhu.edu.cn), Xianchuang Zheng (xczheng@jnu.edu.cn), Baojun Li (baojunli@jnu.edu.cn)

    DOI:10.3788/AOSOL250470

    CSTR:32394.14.AOSOL250470

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