Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a major threat to male fertility and quality of life, and mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a promising therapeutic option. However, therapeutic outcomes are compromised by low MSC retention and survival rates in corpus cavernosum tissue. Here, we developed an innovative magnetic soft microrobot comprising an ultrasoft hydrogel microsphere embedded with a magnetic nanoparticle chain for MSC delivery. This design also features phenylboronic acid groups for scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). With a Young’s modulus of less than 1 kPa, the ultrasoft microrobot adapts its shape within narrow blood vessels, ensuring a uniform distribution of MSCs within the corpus cavernosum. Our findings showed that compared with traditional MSC injections, the MSC delivery microrobot (MSC-Rob) significantly enhanced MSC retention and survival. In both rat and beagle ED models, MSC-Rob treatment accelerated the repair of corpus cavernosum tissue and restored erectile function. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) revealed that MSC-Rob treatment facilitates nerve and blood vessel regeneration in the corpus cavernosum by increasing the presence of regenerative macrophages. Overall, our MSC-Rob not only advances the clinical application of MSCs for ED therapy but also broadens the scope of microrobots for other cell therapies.

中文翻译：

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用于勃起功能障碍治疗的磁性软体微型机器人


勃起功能障碍 （ED） 是男性生育能力和生活质量的主要威胁，间充质基质细胞 （MSC） 是一种很有前途的治疗选择。然而，海绵体组织中 MSC 保留率和存活率低会影响治疗结果。在这里，我们开发了一种创新的磁性软微机器人，包括一个超软水凝胶微球，该微球嵌入了用于 MSC 递送的磁性纳米颗粒链。此设计还具有用于清除活性氧 （ROS） 的苯硼酸基团。凭借小于 1 kPa 的杨氏模量，超软微型机器人可在狭窄血管内调整其形状，确保 MSC 在海绵体内均匀分布。我们的研究结果表明，与传统的 MSC 注射相比，MSC 递送微型机器人 （MSC-Rob） 显着提高了 MSC 的保留和存活率。在大鼠和比格犬 ED 模型中，MSC-Rob 治疗加速了海绵体组织的修复并恢复了勃起功能。单细胞 RNA 测序 （scRNA-seq） 显示，MSC-Rob 治疗通过增加再生巨噬细胞的存在来促进海绵体中的神经和血管再生。总体而言，我们的 MSC-Rob 不仅推进了 MSC 在 ED 治疗中的临床应用，还拓宽了微型机器人在其他细胞疗法中的应用范围。