Abstract
This study aims to develop an effective method to control motile microorganisms and enable their manipulation as functional 'live micro/nano robots'. A novel strategy based on Fe3 O4 nanoparticle-doped alginate hydrogel is developed to fashion an artificial extracellular matrix (ECM) for microbial cells (e.g., Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Flavobacterium heparinum). During this strategy, a single layer of alginate hydrogel is coated around the microbial cells doped with Fe3 O4 nanoparticles to form the alg-mag-cells. Transmission electron microscopy shows that Fe3 O4 nanoparticles are uniformly distributed in the hydrogel shell. Together with maintaining the cell activity and metabolism, the hydrogel coated microbial cells demonstrate high magnetic responsiveness in an external magnetic field and are able to form micro-scaled patterns using the magnetic template designed in this study. This strategy provides a building block to fabricate advanced biological models, medical therapeutic products, and non-medical biological systems using different microorganisms.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
