MIT scientists have created tiny, battery-free devices capable of interacting directly with neurons and could one day treat diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS).
Recent advances from MIT researchers are paving the way for unprecedented methods to monitor and potentially heal individual cells, with the focus now on neurons. Traditionally, cells have been seen as basic units of life, but they’re remarkably complex.
In neurons, various activities occur within distinct subcellular compartments, such as axons, dendrites, and the cell body. Understanding and controlling these specialized regions is critical for probing cellular function and treating neurological diseases.
In a groundbreaking development, MIT scientists have created tiny, battery-free devices capable of interacting directly with neurons. These subcellular-sized devices, made from a soft polymer called azobenzene, are designed to wrap around cellular structures like axons and dendrites without damaging them.
By doing so, these devices allow researchers to measure and modulate a neuron’s activity at a highly specific level, which could one day aid in treating diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS).
The team envisions thousands of these devices being injected and wirelessly activated using light. This light-sensitive material transforms upon exposure, rolling into microtubes that can snugly encase the tiny, curved surfaces of neurons. "It is possible to very finely control the diameter of the rolling," explains Deblina Sarkar, senior author and head of MIT’s Nano-Cybernetic Biotrek Lab, who led this research.
To achieve this, the researchers overcame several technical challenges, such as developing a scalable manufacturing process. Rather than a traditional semiconductor clean room, they utilized a novel technique where they deposited a drop of azobenzene onto a dissolvable layer.
By pressing a stamp onto the drop, they molded thousands of devices, each carefully shaped to wrap around neurons’ various curves. This method allows them to bypass costly cleanroom environments and instead rely on simple etching and baking processes.
The devices’ flexibility is key, as they must conform to the complex shapes of brain cells without causing damage. This adaptability has long been an unmet challenge, especially given that neurons and their processes are incredibly delicate.
The thin-film azobenzene sheets, which roll up into microtubes, make it possible for the devices to envelop axons and other neuron components gently. Sarkar emphasizes, “To have intimate interfaces with these cells, the devices must be soft and able to conform to these complex structures.”
Another major application of this technology lies in treating neurodegenerative diseases, specifically those characterized by loss of myelin. Myelin is an insulating layer that wraps around axons, enabling efficient transmission of electrical impulses.
In conditions like multiple sclerosis, this insulation degrades, disrupting communication between neurons. Since azobenzene acts as an insulator, these devices might serve as synthetic myelin, restoring lost functionality in damaged neurons.
The team demonstrated that integrating the azobenzene-based devices with optoelectrical materials could stimulate cells, and they showed that atomically thin materials can be added without compromising the device’s structural integrity. This opens up possibilities for the devices to become self-contained sensing tools that deliver electrical, optical, or thermal signals to cells.
According to lead author Marta J. I. Airaghi Leccardi, the devices might eventually form circuits on a microscopic scale, capable of measuring or even modulating individual cells’ functions. "This technology is possible," says Sarkar.
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https://www.thebrighterside.news/post/groundbreaking-new-devices-could-restore-lost-brain-functions/
