Light-powered phagocytic macrophage microrobot (phagobot): both in vitro and in vivo

Xing Li; Shuhan Zhong; Ting Pan; Jianyun Xiong; Guoshuai Zhu; Yang Shi; Hongbao Xin

doi:10.1038/s41377-025-01881-3

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Light-powered phagocytic macrophage microrobot (phagobot): both in vitro and in vivo

Original Articles

- Light-powered phagocytic macrophage microrobot (phagobot): both in vitro and in vivo
- Light: Science & Applications Vol. 14, Issue 8, Pages: 2139-2151(2025)
- Affiliations：
  
  Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Manipulation, Institute of Nanophotonics, College of Physics & Optoelectronic Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
- Author bio：
  
  Ting Pan (tingpan@jnu.edu.cn)
  Hongbao Xin (hongbaoxin@jnu.edu.cn)
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1038/s41377-025-01881-3
  CLC：
- Received：22 January 2025，
  
  Revised：21 April 2025，
  
  Accepted：30 April 2025，
  
  Published Online：19 May 2025，
  
  Published：31 August 2025
- Accepted：
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Li, X. et al. Light-powered phagocytic macrophage microrobot (phagobot): both in vitro and in vivo. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 2139-2151 (2025).
DOI：

Li, X. et al. Light-powered phagocytic macrophage microrobot (phagobot): both in vitro and in vivo. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 2139-2151 (2025). DOI： 10.1038/s41377-025-01881-3.

摘要

Abstract

Micro/nanorobots based on immune cells show great potential for addressing challenging biological and biomedical conditions. However

their powerful innate immune functions

particularly the phagocytosis capabilities

remain a big challenge to fully leverage with the current designs of immune cell-based microrobots. Herein

we report a light-powered phagocytic macrophage microrobot (phagobot)

which is capable of robotic navigation toward specific foreign bio-threats and executing precise phagocytosis of these targeted entities under light control. Without genetic modification or nanoengineering of macrophages

the phagobot's "wake-up" program is achieved through direct activation of a resting-state macrophage by a tightly focused near-infrared (NIR) light beam. The phagobot exhibits robotic steering and directional navigation controlled by optical manipulation of the extended pseudopodia within the activated macrophage. It can further execute targeted phagocytic clearance tasks via engulfing various foreign bio-threats

including nanoplastics

microbials

and cancer cell debris. Notably

the phagobot can be constructed in a living larval zebrafish through optical activation and manipulation of the endogenous macrophage

which also exhibits controllable navigation and targeted phagocytic capabilities in vivo. With the intrinsic immune functions of macrophages

our light-powered phagobot represents a novel form of intelligent immune cell-based microrobots

holding many new possibilities for precise immune regulation and treatment for immune-related diseases.

关键词

Keywords

references

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