Neuro-stem cell stimulation and growth enhancement with implantable nanodevice

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11013908-B2
Application number	US-201916691993-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2019
Priority date	Nov 13, 2017
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

A nanodevice includes an array of metal nanorods formed on a substrate. An electropolymerized electrical conductor is formed over tops of a portion of the nanorods to form a reservoir between the electropolymerized conductor and the substrate. The electropolymerized conductor includes pores that open or close responsively to electrical signals applied to the nanorods. A cell loading region is disposed in proximity of the reservoir, and the cell loading region is configured to receive stem cells. A neurotrophic dispensing material is loaded in the reservoir to be dispersed in accordance with open pores to affect growth of the stem cells when in vivo.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nanodevice, comprising:
an array of metal nanorods formed on a substrate;
a reservoir having pores that open responsively to electrical signals applied to at least a portion of the nanorods;
a cell loading region disposed adjacent to the reservoir, the cell loading region being configured to receive stem cells; and
a neurotrophic dispensing material loaded in the reservoir to be dispersed in accordance with open pores to affect growth of the stem cells when in vivo.

2. The nanodevice as recited in claim 1 , wherein the reservoir includes electrically conductive polymers selected from the group consisting of polypyrrole, polyanilines, poly(thiophene), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), poly(p-phenylene sulfide), polyp-phenylene vinylene), poly(acetylene) and a combination thereof.

3. The nanodevice as recited in claim 1 , wherein the substrate includes a semiconductor material and further comprises a control circuit formed in the substrate to control activation of electrodes formed by the nanorods.

4. The nanodevice as recited in claim 1 , wherein the neurotrophic dispensing material includes a neurotrophin selected from the group consisting of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) and nerve growth factor (NGF).

5. The nanodevice as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electrical signals are pulsed to control an amount of neurotrophic dispensing material released.

6. A nanodevice, comprising:
an electropolymerized electrical conductor formed over tops of at least a portion of an array of nanorods to form a reservoir between the electropolymerized electrical conductor and a substrate, the electropolymerized electrical conductor including pores that open or close responsively to electrical signals applied to the nanorods;
a cell loading region disposed adjacent to the reservoir; and
a neurotrophic dispensing material loaded in the reservoir to be dispersed in accordance with open pores to affect growth of cells when in vivo.

7. The nanodevice as recited in claim 6 , wherein the electropolymerized electrical conductor includes electrically conductive polymers selected from the group consisting of polypyrrole, polyanilines, poly(thiophene), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), poly(p-phenylene sulfide), poly(p-phenylene vinylene), poly(acetylene) and a combination thereof.

8. The nanodevice as recited in claim 6 , wherein the array of nanorods are formed on a substrate including a semiconductor material and further comprises a control circuit formed in the substrate to control activation of electrodes formed by the nanorods.

9. The nanodevice as recited in claim 6 , wherein the neurotrophic dispensing material includes a neurotrophin selected from the group consisting of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) and nerve growth factor (NGF).

10. The nanodevice as recited in claim 6 , wherein the electrical signals are pulsed to control an amount of neurotrophic dispensing material released.

11. The nanodevice as recited in claim 6 , wherein the cells include stem cells.

12. A nanodevice, comprising:
a reservoir having pores that open responsively to electrical signals applied to at least one nanorod;
a cell loading region disposed adjacent to the reservoir; and
a neurotrophic dispensing material loaded in the reservoir to be dispersed in accordance with open pores to affect growth of cells when in vivo.

13. The nanodevice as recited in claim 12 , wherein the reservoir includes electrically conductive polymers selected from the group consisting of polypyrrole, polyanilines, poly(thiophene), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), poly(p-phenylene sulfide), poly(p-phenylene vinylene), poly(acetylene) and a combination thereof.

14. The nanodevice as recited in claim 12 , wherein the at least one nanorod is formed on a substrate including a semiconductor material and further comprises a control circuit formed in the substrate to control activation of electrodes formed by the nanorods.

15. The nanodevice as recited in claim 12 , wherein the neurotrophic dispensing material includes a neurotrophin selected from the group consisting of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) and nerve growth factor (NGF).

16. The nanodevice as recited in claim 12 , wherein the electrical signals are pulsed to control an amount of neurotrophic dispensing material released.

17. The nanodevice as recited in claim 12 , wherein the at least one nanorod is a portion of an array of nanorods.

18. The nanodevice as recited in claim 12 , wherein the cells include stem cells.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Holmes Steven J
• Lin Qinghuang
• Kinser Emily R
• Marchack Nathan P
• Yu Roy R

Classifications

• A61K38/185 Primary

  Nerve growth factor [NGF]; Brain derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF]; Ciliary neurotrophic factor [CNTF]; Glial derived neurotrophic factor [GDNF]; Neurotrophins, e.g. NT-3 · CPC title

• A61N1/375

  Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings · CPC title

• A61N1/08

  Arrangements or circuits for monitoring, protecting, controlling or indicating {(for external stimulators A61N1/3603; for implantable neurostimulators A61N1/36128; for heart stimulators A61N1/37; for defibrillators A61N1/3925)} · CPC title

• A61N1/05

  for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode (A61N1/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B82Y15/00

  Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors · CPC title