Micro-Bio-Chemo-Mechanical-Systems: Micromotors, Microfluidics, and Nanozymes for Biomedical Applications

Wireless nano-/micromotors powered by chemical reactions and/or external fields generate motive forces, perform tasks, and significantly extend short-range dynamic responses of passive biomedical microcarriers. However, before micromotors can be translated into clinical use, several major problems, including the biocompatibility of materials, the toxicity of chemical fuels, and deep tissue imaging methods, must be solved. Nanomaterials with enzyme-like characteristics (e.g., catalase, oxidase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase), that is, nanozymes, can significantly expand the scope of micromotors' chemical fuels. A convergence of nanozymes, micromotors, and microfluidics can lead to a paradigm shift in the fabrication of multifunctional micromotors in reasonable quantities, encapsulation of desired subsystems, and engineering of FDA-approved core-shell structures with tuneable biological, physical, chemical, and mechanical properties. Microfluidic methods are used to prepare stable bubbles/microbubbles and capsules integrating ultrasound, optoacoustic, fluorescent, and magnetic resonance imaging modalities. The aim here is to discuss an interdisciplinary approach of three independent emerging topics: micromotors, nanozymes, and microfluidics to creatively: 1) embrace new ideas, 2) think across boundaries, and 3) solve problems whose solutions are beyond the scope of a single discipline toward the development of micro-bio-chemo-mechanical-systems for diverse bioapplications.

Automated summary

This article discusses the potential applications of wireless nano-/micromotors in the field of biomedical science as well as the challenges they face. It suggests that nanomaterials with enzyme-like characteristics can expand the range of chemical fuels for micromotors, and emphasizes that the convergence of micromotors, nanozymes, and microfluidics can lead to a paradigm shift in micromotor fabrication.