Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: Nature
Context: Scientists have created tiny robots, called anthrobots, made from human tracheal cells capable of repairing damaged neural tissue.
- Unlike previous xenobots made from frog cells, anthrobots are self-assembling and formed from human tissue, potentially paving the way for personalized medicine.
How it works?
- The researchers grew clusters of human tracheal skin cells, developing anthrobots with cilia acting as oars.
- When placed on scratched neural tissue, anthrobots fused into a ‘superbot,‘ leading to complete healing within three days without genetic modification.
- The researchers envision using person-specific anthrobots for tasks like clearing arteries, breaking up mucus, or drug delivery, with potential applications in regenerative medicine.
