School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
ACS Appl Bio Mater. 2024 Jun 17;7(6):3605-3628. doi: 10.1021/acsabm.4c00435. Epub 2024 May 10.
Advancements in reliable information transfer across biotic-abiotic interfaces have enabled the restoration of lost human function. For example, communication between neuronal cells and electrical devices restores the ability to walk to a tetraplegic patient and vision to patients blinded by retinal disease. These impactful medical achievements are aided by tailored biotic-abiotic interfaces that maximize information transfer fidelity by considering the physical properties of the underlying biological and synthetic components. This Review develops a modular framework to define and describe the engineering of biotic and abiotic components as well as the design of interfaces to facilitate biotic-abiotic information transfer using light or electricity. Delineating the properties of the biotic, interface, and abiotic components that enable communication can serve as a guide for future research in this highly interdisciplinary field. Application of synthetic biology to engineer light-sensitive proteins has facilitated the control of neural signaling and the restoration of rudimentary vision after retinal blindness. Electrophysiological methodologies that use brain-computer interfaces and stimulating implants to bypass spinal column injuries have led to the rehabilitation of limb movement and walking ability. Cellular interfacing methodologies and on-chip learning capability have been made possible by organic transistors that mimic the information processing capacity of neurons. The collaboration of molecular biologists, material scientists, and electrical engineers in the emerging field of biotic-abiotic interfacing will lead to the development of prosthetics capable of responding to thought and experiencing touch sensation via direct integration into the human nervous system. Further interdisciplinary research will improve electrical and optical interfacing technologies for the restoration of vision, offering greater visual acuity and potentially color vision in the near future.
生物-非生物界面上可靠信息传递的进步使恢复人类失去的功能成为可能。例如，神经元细胞与电子设备之间的通信使四肢瘫痪患者能够重新行走，使视网膜疾病致盲的患者能够重新恢复视力。这些具有影响力的医学成就得益于量身定制的生物-非生物界面，这些界面通过考虑底层生物和合成组件的物理特性，最大限度地提高信息传递保真度。这篇综述提出了一个模块化框架，用于定义和描述生物和非生物组件的工程设计，以及设计接口以促进使用光或电进行生物-非生物信息传递。阐明生物、界面和非生物组件的特性，这些特性能够实现通信，可以作为未来这个高度跨学科领域研究的指南。合成生物学在工程光敏感蛋白方面的应用促进了神经信号的控制和视网膜失明后基本视力的恢复。使用脑机接口和刺激植入物绕过脊柱损伤的电生理学方法已经导致四肢运动和行走能力的康复。通过模拟神经元信息处理能力的有机晶体管，实现了细胞接口方法和片上学习能力。分子生物学家、材料科学家和电气工程师在新兴的生物-非生物界面领域的合作，将开发出能够通过直接集成到人体神经系统来响应思维和体验触觉的假肢。进一步的跨学科研究将改进用于恢复视力的电气和光学接口技术，在不久的将来提供更高的视力和潜在的彩色视力。
