4.6 Review

Biocompatible smart micro/nanorobots for active gastrointestinal tract drug delivery

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Gastrointestinal tract drug delivery using algae motors embedded in a degradable capsule

Fangyu Zhang et al.

Summary: This study reports on an efficient algae-based micromotor platform that takes advantage of the fast and long-lasting swimming behavior of natural microalgae in the intestinal fluid to extend their retention in the gastrointestinal tract. In vivo experiments in mice showed that the algae motors significantly improved the distribution and retention of drugs in the gastrointestinal tract compared to traditional micromotors.

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Tianyi Liu et al.

Summary: Inspired by natural mobile microorganisms, researchers have developed micro/nanomotors (MNMs) that can autonomously move and have made tremendous progress in various biomedical applications. However, controversy and challenges still exist in propulsion mechanisms and motion manipulation of MNMs. Recently, diverse MNMs with different propulsion strategies, morphologies, sizes, porosities, and chemical structures have been fabricated and utilized for various purposes.

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Biomedical Micro-/Nanomotors: From Overcoming Biological Barriers to In Vivo Imaging

Changyong Gao et al.

Summary: Self-propelled micro- and nanomotors have great potential in biomedical applications, but challenges such as overcoming biological barriers and in vivo navigation still need to be addressed. With continued attention and innovation, it is believed that they will improve targeted drug delivery efficiency in the future.

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Yonghyun Lee et al.

Summary: The gastrointestinal tract plays a crucial role in both local and systemic diseases, influenced by factors like the mucosal immune system, intestinal barrier, and gut microbiota. Selective drug delivery for oral vaccines, immune tolerance, and inflammatory diseases faces challenges due to the physiological and biological barriers of the GIT. Advances in oral nanomedicine offer potential solutions for overcoming these barriers and effectively targeting treatments to the GIT.

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Multifunctional micro/nanomotors as an emerging platform for smart healthcare applications

Hyunsik Choi et al.

Summary: Self-propelling micro- and nano-motors are a multifunctional platform for smart healthcare applications, including biosensing, bioimaging, and targeted drug delivery. They can be powered and guided by chemical substances or external stimuli, showing promise for in vivo applications and future clinical use. Despite some limitations, MNMs have the potential to revolutionize diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in healthcare.

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Neeharika Senthilkumar et al.

Summary: Magnetic nanoparticles with unique physicochemical properties are widely used for in vivo applications, but ensuring compliance with safety regulations remains a challenge.

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Biomaterials coating for on-demand bacteria delivery: Selective release, adhesion, and detachment

Jun Liu et al.

Summary: A double-layer coating strategy using tannic acid and enteric L100 was reported to encapsulate probiotics for improved delivery in the gastrointestinal tract. The encapsulated Escherichia coli demonstrated enhanced survival and proliferation capabilities, leading to superior efficacy against colitis. This spatiotemporal delivery method shows promise in enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of bacteria-based therapy for GI tract-related diseases.

NANO TODAY (2021)

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Gastric Acid Powered Nanomotors Release Antibiotics for In Vivo Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection

Yang Wu et al.

Summary: The study uses nanomotors loaded with drugs to combat gastric cancer caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, successfully achieving rapid neutralization of gastric acid and drug release in animal models to achieve good therapeutic effects.
Article Food Science & Technology

Yeast cell-derived delivery systems for bioactives

Chen Tan et al.

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TRENDS IN FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (2021)

Review Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Magnetically Driven Micro and Nanorobots

Huaijuan Zhou et al.

Summary: Magnetic micro/nanorobots can be manipulated and guided in different fluid environments using magnetic fields, offering advantages such as remote control, reconfigurability, and fuel-free operation. They have diverse applications in targeted drug delivery, biofilm disruption, and environmental remediation.

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Orally deliverable strategy based on microalgal biomass for intestinal disease treatment

Danni Zhong et al.

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The Tight Junction Protein ZO-1 Is Dispensable for Barrier Function but Critical for Effective Mucosal Repair

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Clump sequencing exposes the spatial expression programs of intestinal secretory cells

Rita Manco et al.

Summary: Combining single-cell RNA sequencing with spatial information allows for the reconstruction of spatially-resolved tissue cell atlases, which is challenging for rare cell types. The ClumpSeq approach presented in this study enables the establishment of spatial atlases for all epithelial cell types in the small intestine, revealing immune-modulatory gene expression in villus tip goblet and tuft cells as well as heterogeneous migration patterns of enteroendocrine cells.

NATURE COMMUNICATIONS (2021)

Review Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Advanced biotechnology-assisted precise sonodynamic therapy

Yi Zhang et al.

Summary: The article discusses the advantages and potential of photodynamic therapy and sonodynamic therapy in the treatment of deep-seated tumors, as well as imaging-guided precise SDT and recent clinical trials. It also summarizes the strategies for designing sonosensitizers based on tumor environment and structure modifications, as well as the approach of SDT combination therapy.

CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS (2021)

Review Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Oral Delivery of Biologics for Precision Medicine

Matilde Duran-Lobato et al.

ADVANCED MATERIALS (2020)

Review Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Recent Advances in Nano- and Micromotors

Marina Fernandez-Medina et al.

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS (2020)

Review Oncology

Ultrasound nanotheranostics in fighting cancer: Advances and prospects

Li-Qiang Zhou et al.

CANCER LETTERS (2020)

Article Environmental Sciences

Algae as green energy reserve: Technological outlook on biofuel production

Susaimanickam Anto et al.

CHEMOSPHERE (2020)

Review Nanoscience & Nanotechnology

Materials for oral delivery of proteins and peptides

Tyler D. Brown et al.

NATURE REVIEWS MATERIALS (2020)

Review Genetics & Heredity

Yeasts as probiotics: Mechanisms, outcomes, and future potential

Swastik Sen et al.

FUNGAL GENETICS AND BIOLOGY (2020)

Review Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Interactions of commensal and pathogenic microorganisms with the mucus layer in the colon

Rui Cai et al.

GUT MICROBES (2020)

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Bioinspired oral delivery of gut microbiota by self-coating with biofilms

Xinyue Wang et al.

SCIENCE ADVANCES (2020)

Article Engineering, Biomedical

Zinc Microrocket Pills: Fabrication and Characterization toward Active Oral Delivery

Rodolfo Mundaca-Uribe et al.

ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS (2020)

Review Cell Biology

Tight Junction Structure and Function Revisited

Tetsuhisa Otani et al.

TRENDS IN CELL BIOLOGY (2020)

Review Multidisciplinary Sciences

Engineering microrobots for targeted cancer therapies from a medical perspective

Christine K. Schmidt et al.

NATURE COMMUNICATIONS (2020)

Review Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Medical micro/nanorobots in complex media

Zhiguang Wu et al.

CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS (2020)

Article Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Robotics in the Gut

Jihong Min et al.

ADVANCED THERAPEUTICS (2020)

Review Materials Science, Biomaterials

Biomimetic and bioinspired strategies for oral drug delivery

Xiankang Hu et al.

BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE (2020)

Review Gastroenterology & Hepatology

The Structure and Function of the Human Small Intestinal Microbiota: Current Understanding and Future Directions

Arthur J. Kastl et al.

CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY (2020)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Biomimetic Micromotor Enables Active Delivery of Antigens for Oral Vaccination

Xiaoli Wei et al.

NANO LETTERS (2019)

Review Immunology

M Cells: Intelligent Engineering of Mucosal Immune Surveillance

Andrea Dillon et al.

FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY (2019)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Micromotors for Active Delivery of Minerals toward the Treatment of Iron Deficiency Anemia

Emil Karshalev et al.

NANO LETTERS (2019)

Review Engineering, Biomedical

Engineering the Mucus Barrier

T. L. Carlson et al.

ANNUAL REVIEW OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, VOL 20 (2018)

Review Pharmacology & Pharmacy

The role of mucus on drug transport and its potential to affect therapeutic outcomes

Xabier Murgia et al.

ADVANCED DRUG DELIVERY REVIEWS (2018)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Micro-/Nanorobots at Work in Active Drug Delivery

Ming Luo et al.

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS (2018)

Article Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Recent advancements in nanoparticle based drug delivery for gastrointestinal disorders

Rahul Mittal et al.

EXPERT OPINION ON DRUG DELIVERY (2018)

Review Microbiology

Interactions of commensal and pathogenic microorganisms with the intestinal mucosal barrier

Eric C. Martens et al.

NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY (2018)

Review Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Cell-Like Micromotors

Berta Esteban-Fernandez de Avila et al.

ACCOUNTS OF CHEMICAL RESEARCH (2018)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Micromotor Pills as a Dynamic Oral Delivery Platform

Emil Karshalev et al.

ACS NANO (2018)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Microalga-Powered Microswimmers toward Active Cargo Delivery

Oncay Yasa et al.

ADVANCED MATERIALS (2018)

Review Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Local delivery of macromolecules to treat diseases associated with the colon

A. Bak et al.

ADVANCED DRUG DELIVERY REVIEWS (2018)

Review Pharmacology & Pharmacy

The challenges of oral drug delivery via nanocarriers

Jonas Reinholz et al.

DRUG DELIVERY (2018)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Micromotors Go In Vivo: From Test Tubes to Live Animals

Berta Esteban-Fernandez de Avila et al.

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS (2018)

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Micromotor-enabled active drug delivery for in vivo treatment of stomach infection

Berta Esteban-Fernandez de Avila et al.

NATURE COMMUNICATIONS (2017)

Article Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Oral delivery of biologics using drug-device combinations

Ester Caffarel-Salvador et al.

CURRENT OPINION IN PHARMACOLOGY (2017)

Review Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Light-driven micro/nanomotors: from fundamentals to applications

Leilei Xu et al.

CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS (2017)

Review Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Models for drug absorbtion from the small intestine: where are we and where are we going?

Pierre-Andre Bilat et al.

DRUG DISCOVERY TODAY (2017)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Size-Limited Penetration of Nanoparticles into Porcine Respiratory Mucus after Aerosol Deposition

Xabier Murgia et al.

BIOMACROMOLECULES (2016)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Nanoparticles for oral delivery: Design, evaluation and state-of-the-art

Abhijit A. Date et al.

JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE (2016)

Article Engineering, Biomedical

Food-associated stimuli enhance barrier properties of gastrointestinal mucus

Hasan M. Yildiz et al.

BIOMATERIALS (2015)

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Enzymatically active biomimetic micropropellers for the penetration of mucin gels

Debora Walker et al.

SCIENCE ADVANCES (2015)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Biopsy with Thermally-Responsive Untethered Microtools

Evin Gultepe et al.

ADVANCED MATERIALS (2013)

Review Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Oral drug delivery with polymeric nanoparticles: The gastrointestinal mucus barriers

Laura M. Ensign et al.

ADVANCED DRUG DELIVERY REVIEWS (2012)

Review Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Salivary Defense Proteins: Their Network and Role in Innate and Acquired Oral Immunity

Tibor Karoly Fabian et al.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES (2012)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Algae as a source of renewable chemicals: opportunities and challenges

Patrick M. Foley et al.

GREEN CHEMISTRY (2011)

Article Nutrition & Dietetics

The Potential Health Benefits of Algae and Micro Algae in Medicine: A Review on Spirulina platensis

Marzieh Soheili et al.

CURRENT NUTRITION & FOOD SCIENCE (2011)

Review Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Barrier properties of mucus

Richard A. Cone

ADVANCED DRUG DELIVERY REVIEWS (2009)

Editorial Material Nanoscience & Nanotechnology

Plenty of room, plenty of history

Chris Toumey

NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY (2009)

Review Food Science & Technology

Disintegration of solid foods in human stomach

F. Kong et al.

JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE (2008)

Review Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Human pancreatic digestive enzymes

David C. Whitcomb et al.

DIGESTIVE DISEASES AND SCIENCES (2007)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Catalytic nanomotors: Autonomous movement of striped nanorods

WF Paxton et al.

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY (2004)