Research Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetic Diseases, Wuxi Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Wuxi, 214002, People's Republic of China.
Center for Reproductive Medicine, The Affiliated Wuxi Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, 214002, People's Republic of China.
Int J Nanomedicine. 2024 May 31;19:5095-5108. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S465548. eCollection 2024.
Sperm quality is declining dramatically during the past decades. Male infertility has been a serious health and social problem. The sperm cell driven biohybrid nanorobot opens a new era for automated and precise assisted reproduction. Therefore, it is urgent and necessary to conduct an updated review and perspective from the viewpoints of the researchers and clinicians in the field of reproductive medicine. In the present review, we first update the current classification, design, control and applications of various spermbots. Then, by a comprehensive summary of the functional features of sperm cells, the journey of sperms to the oocyte, and sperm-related dysfunctions, we provide a systematic guidance to further improve the design of spermbots. Focusing on the translation of spermbots into clinical practice, we point out that the main challenges are biocompatibility, effectiveness, and ethical issues. Considering the special requirements of assisted reproduction, we also propose the three laws for the clinical usage of spermbots: good genetics, gentle operation and no contamination. Finally, a three-step roadmap is proposed to achieve the goal of clinical translation. We believe that spermbot-based treatments can be validated and approved for in vitro clinical usage in the near future. However, multi-center and multi-disciplinary collaborations are needed to further promote the translation of spermbots into in vivo clinical applications.
在过去几十年中,精子质量急剧下降。男性不育已成为严重的健康和社会问题。精子驱动的生物混合纳米机器人为自动化和精确的辅助生殖开辟了一个新时代。因此,从生殖医学领域的研究人员和临床医生的角度来看,进行更新的综述和展望是紧迫且必要的。在本综述中,我们首先更新了各种精子机器人的当前分类、设计、控制和应用。然后,通过对精子细胞的功能特征、精子向卵子的运动以及与精子相关的功能障碍的全面总结,为进一步改进精子机器人的设计提供了系统的指导。我们专注于将精子机器人转化为临床实践,指出主要的挑战是生物相容性、有效性和伦理问题。考虑到辅助生殖的特殊要求,我们还提出了精子机器人临床使用的三大定律:良好的遗传、温和的操作和无污染。最后,提出了实现临床转化的三步路线图。我们相信,基于精子机器人的治疗方法可以在不久的将来得到验证并批准用于体外临床应用。然而,需要多中心和多学科的合作,以进一步推动精子机器人向体内临床应用的转化。
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