Micromachines (Oct 2022)

Applications of Nano/Micromotors for Treatment and Diagnosis in Biological Lumens

  • Shandeng Huang,
  • Yinghua Gao,
  • Yu Lv,
  • Yun Wang,
  • Yinghao Cao,
  • Weisong Zhao,
  • Dongqing Zuo,
  • Haoran Mu,
  • Yingqi Hua

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/mi13101780
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 10
p. 1780

Abstract

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Natural biological lumens in the human body, such as blood vessels and the gastrointestinal tract, are important to the delivery of materials. Depending on the anatomic features of these biological lumens, the invention of nano/micromotors could automatically locomote targeted sites for disease treatment and diagnosis. These nano/micromotors are designed to utilize chemical, physical, or even hybrid power in self-propulsion or propulsion by external forces. In this review, the research progress of nano/micromotors is summarized with regard to treatment and diagnosis in different biological lumens. Challenges to the development of nano/micromotors more suitable for specific biological lumens are discussed, and the overlooked biological lumens are indicated for further studies.

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