Researchers tattooed tardigrades and promise it will be useful

Scientists tattoo tardigrades to explore advancements in microrobotics.

: Researchers at the Westlake Institute for Optoelectronics in China have successfully tattooed tardigrades, or water bears, in a study aimed at exploring advancements in microscopic robotics. Utilizing a method called ice lithography, they dehydrated tardigrades and used a focused electron beam on them to form tattoos without affecting their survival. Although the procedure resulted in a loss of 60% of the specimens, it holds potential for applications in biosensing and biomedical engineering. This innovative approach could eventually pave the way for creating living microrobotics with enhanced capabilities.

Researchers from the Westlake Institute for Optoelectronics have embarked on an ambitious journey by tattooing tardigrades, commonly called water bears, which are extraordinarily resilient microscopic animals. Their study, published in Nano Letters, elaborates on how this technique could have significant implications for the development of living microrobots. The researchers aim to leverage the unique resilience and microscopic scale of tardigrades to advance biocompatible microfabrication techniques, crucial for innovations in medicine and biomedical engineering.

Tattooing these creatures involves dehydrating them into a cryptobiotic state, a unique form of deep hibernation that makes them incredibly durable, even in extreme conditions. The researchers then placed the tardigrades on surfaces cooled to -226°F and applied a layer of anisole, an organic compound. Using a focused electron beam, they inscribed various patterns onto the anisole-covered tardigrades, ranging from simple dots and lines to complex logos. This technique, known as ice lithography, allows the formation of chemical compounds that adhere to the tardigrade's surface, creating tattoos that persist even after rehydration.

Despite the potential of this method, only about 40% of the tattooed tardigrades survived the process, which indicates room for procedural improvements. However, the surviving subjects showed no adverse effects due to the tattoos. With further refinements, this method could facilitate the integration of microelectronics and sensors onto living tissues, ultimately contributing to the creation of advanced biomaterial devices and biophysical sensors. Researchers emphasize that these micro/nanofabrication techniques combined with living organisms provide valuable insights into cryopreservation, astrobiology, and biomedicine.

Ding Zhao, co-author and researcher at the Westlake Institute, explained in a statement with the American Chemical Society that this novel approach extends the capability of micro-tattooing to various living organisms, including bacteria. This technology holds promising potential to revolutionize fields like biosensing and biomimetics, and can lead to substantial advancements in living microrobotics. Tardigrades offer a glimpse into how bioengineering can be utilized to mimic natural resilience and create enduring biological constructs.

The strategic use of ice lithography, a technique attributed to Gavin King from the University of Missouri, suggests transformative possibilities that blur the lines between science fiction and current technological capability. King remarked on how challenging it has been to pattern living matter, indicating that such techniques previously appeared only in fictional narratives. This research opens new avenues for creating devices with unprecedented resilience and functionality, borrowing from nature's robust designs.

Sources: Gizmodo, American Chemical Society, Margherita Bassi

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