Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41481705›Full record

ArticleScience advances2026

In situ mechanostimulation of biohybrid millirobots for enhanced cell functionality and delivery.

Jianhua Zhang, Xianqiang Bao, Zhou Zhu, Rongjing Zhang, Chunxiang Wang, Mingtong Li, Kaichen Xu, Yong He, Dietmar W Hutmacher, Ziyu Ren and 1 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Science advances, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Jianhua ZhangState Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems & Liangzhu Laboratory, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.ORCID 0000-0002-1066-3751
Xianqiang BaoPhysical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart 70569, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-9723-9883
Zhou ZhuState Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.ORCID 0000-0003-3324-483X
Rongjing ZhangSchool of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China.
Chunxiang WangPhysical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart 70569, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-6130-3553
Mingtong LiPhysical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart 70569, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-1685-6052
Kaichen XuState Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems & Liangzhu Laboratory, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.ORCID 0000-0003-4957-3144
Yong HeState Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems & Liangzhu Laboratory, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.ORCID 0000-0002-9099-0831
Dietmar W HutmacherMax Planck Queensland Center (MPQC) for the Materials Science of Extracellular Matrices, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-5678-2134
Ziyu RenSchool of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China.ORCID 0000-0003-0824-1805
Metin SittiPhysical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart 70569, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-8249-3854

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This study proposes a perforated, soft millirobot with dual functions: in situ mechanostimulation to enhance cell functionality and local cell delivery. Following protein modification and silica coating, the soft millirobots exhibit excellent biocompatibility, promoting cell adhesion and tissue ingrowth within their perforated architectures under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. They can apply in situ mechanostimulation to various cellular morphologies, including two-dimensional (2D) cell sheets, 3D cell-laden hydrogels, and ex vivo tissue models. The mechanical stimulation improves the functionality of muscle cells by enhancing cellular orientation, myotube contraction, and myocyte differentiation. In parallel, we develop an integrated robotic platform combining magnetic actuation with ultrasound imaging. It demonstrates the proof of principle that delivers 2D cell-sheet and 3D cell-laden biohybrid millirobots to narrow regions in an ex vivo pig liver model. This work expands the potential applications of soft millirobots in mechanobiology studies and future cell-based therapies.

Indexed as

RoboticsTissue EngineeringAnimalsBiocompatible MaterialsCell LineCell TransplantationCoculture TechniquesFibronectinsHumansHydrogelsLiverMagnetic FieldsMaleMaterials TestingMiceProof of Concept StudyBiocompatible MaterialsFibronectinsHydrogels

Identifiers

PMID41481705
PMCPMC12758528

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.