Scientists Are Building Tiny Machines Inside the Cells
Indian Defence Review • • health
Key Points:
- Researchers have successfully 3D-printed microscopic structures, including a 10-micrometer elephant, inside living cells using a biocompatible photoresist and laser-based polymerization, allowing cells to survive and divide while passing the printed objects to daughter cells.
- This novel technique bypasses previous limitations of particle ingestion by injecting resin directly into the cytoplasm and printing structures in situ, enabling broader application across various cell types and providing direct interaction with intracellular processes.
- The method, developed by Matjaž Humar's team at Slovenia’s Jožef Stefan Institute, demonstrated high printing resolution (features as small as 260 nanometers) and maintained cell viability comparable to control groups, with many cells continuing normal function post-printing.
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