Bio-Inspired Magnetically Responsive Silicone Cilia: Fabrication Strategy and Interaction with Biological Mucus

Author(s)

Grein-Iankovski, Aline ; Braga, Karina Andrighetti de Oliveira ; Legendre, Daniel Formariz ; Cardoso, Paulo Francisco Guerreiro ; Loh, Watson

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: BIOENGINEERING-BASEL; v. 11, n. 3, p. 12-pg., 2024-03-01.

Abstract

Cilia are biological structures essential to drive the mobility of secretions and maintain the proper function of the respiratory airways. However, this motile self-cleaning process is significantly compromised in the presence of silicone tracheal prosthesis, leading to biofilm growth and impeding effective treatment. To address this challenge and enhance the performance of these devices, we propose the fabrication of magnetic silicone cilia, with the prospect of their integration onto silicone prostheses. The present study presents a fabrication method based on magnetic self-assembly and assesses the interaction behavior of the cilia array with biological mucus. This protocol allows for the customization of cilia dimensions across a wide range of aspect ratios (from 6 to 85) and array densities (from 10 to 80 cilia/mm2) by adjusting the fabrication parameters, offering flexibility for adjustments according to their required characteristics. Furthermore, we evaluated the suitability of different cilia arrays for biomedical applications by analyzing their interaction with bullfrog mucus, simulating the airways environment. Our findings demonstrate that the fabricated cilia are mechanically resistant to the viscous fluid and still exhibit controlled movement under the influence of an external moving magnet. A correlation between cilia dimensions and mucus wettability profile suggests a potential role in facilitating mucus depuration, paving the way for further advancements aimed at enhancing the performance of silicone prostheses in clinical settings. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 21/12071-6 - Tailoring colloids through supramolecular interactions: from fundamentals to applications
• Grantee: Watson Loh
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/25406-5 - Organizing matter: colloids formed by association of surfactants, polymers and nanoparticles
• Grantee: Watson Loh
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 17/04571-3 - Magnetic Janus nanoparticles
• Grantee: Aline Grein Iankovski
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 18/16330-3 - Self-assembly of thermo- and magneto-responsive building blocks for the fabrication of novel biomarkers
• Grantee: Aline Grein Iankovski
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor