Bioengineers at Lund University in Sweden were able to use a special gel to create an electrical network inside living cells – in the future, this technology could replace electronic implantation in the body to treat neurodegenerative diseases and create a brain-computer interface. The results of the research scientists are published in the journal Science.
To do this, the study’s authors developed a hydrogel that contains enzymes when a living organism comes into contact with endogenous (substances that form in the body, tissue, or cell throughout life and do not come from outside) chemicals. The gel is electrically conductive.
In the experiment, the scientists used zebrafish – the authors managed to create electrodes in the fish’s brain, heart and tail fins. The researchers also built electrodes around the nerve tissue of the medicinal leeches. The material did not cause an immune reaction and did not affect the normal functioning of the body. In future work, the researchers plan to conduct experiments involving humans as well as improving the technology.