3D printing‐based frugal manufacturing of glass pipettes for minimally invasive delivery of therapeutics to the brain

Abstract Objective Intracerebral delivery of agents in liquid form is usually achieved through commercially available and durable metal needles. However, their size and texture may contribute to mechanical brain damage. Glass pipettes with a thin tip may significantly reduce injection‐associated bra...

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Main Authors: Guanda Qiao, David Gulisashvili, Anna Jablonska, Guiling Zhao, Miroslaw Janowski, Piotr Walczak, Yajie Liang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-09-01
Series:Neuroprotection
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/nep3.20
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author Guanda Qiao
David Gulisashvili
Anna Jablonska
Guiling Zhao
Miroslaw Janowski
Piotr Walczak
Yajie Liang
author_facet Guanda Qiao
David Gulisashvili
Anna Jablonska
Guiling Zhao
Miroslaw Janowski
Piotr Walczak
Yajie Liang
author_sort Guanda Qiao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objective Intracerebral delivery of agents in liquid form is usually achieved through commercially available and durable metal needles. However, their size and texture may contribute to mechanical brain damage. Glass pipettes with a thin tip may significantly reduce injection‐associated brain damage but require access to prohibitively expensive programmable pipette pullers. This study is to remove the economic barrier to the application of minimally invasive delivery of therapeutics to the brain, such as chemical compounds, viral vectors, and cells. Methods We took advantage of the rapid development of free educational online resources and emerging low‐cost 3D printers by designing an affordable pipette puller (APP) to remove the cost obstacle. Results We showed that our APP could produce glass pipettes with a sharp tip opening down to 20 μm or less, which is sufficiently thin for the delivery of therapeutics into the brain. A pipeline from pipette pulling to brain injection using low‐cost and open‐source equipment was established to facilitate the application of the APP. Conclusion In the spirit of frugal science, our device may democratize glass pipette‐puling and substantially promote the application of minimally invasive and precisely controlled delivery of therapeutics to the brain for finding more effective therapies of brain diseases.
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institution DOAJ
issn 2770-7296
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language English
publishDate 2023-09-01
publisher Wiley
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series Neuroprotection
spelling doaj-art-ca17019b8ce84a09b704501514be89f72025-08-20T03:13:12ZengWileyNeuroprotection2770-72962770-730X2023-09-0111354210.1002/nep3.203D printing‐based frugal manufacturing of glass pipettes for minimally invasive delivery of therapeutics to the brainGuanda Qiao0David Gulisashvili1Anna Jablonska2Guiling Zhao3Miroslaw Janowski4Piotr Walczak5Yajie Liang6Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine University of Maryland School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland USADepartment of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine University of Maryland School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland USADepartment of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine University of Maryland School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland USALaboratory of Molecular Cardiology, Department of Physiology, Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology University of Maryland School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland USADepartment of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine University of Maryland School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland USADepartment of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine University of Maryland School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland USADepartment of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine University of Maryland School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland USAAbstract Objective Intracerebral delivery of agents in liquid form is usually achieved through commercially available and durable metal needles. However, their size and texture may contribute to mechanical brain damage. Glass pipettes with a thin tip may significantly reduce injection‐associated brain damage but require access to prohibitively expensive programmable pipette pullers. This study is to remove the economic barrier to the application of minimally invasive delivery of therapeutics to the brain, such as chemical compounds, viral vectors, and cells. Methods We took advantage of the rapid development of free educational online resources and emerging low‐cost 3D printers by designing an affordable pipette puller (APP) to remove the cost obstacle. Results We showed that our APP could produce glass pipettes with a sharp tip opening down to 20 μm or less, which is sufficiently thin for the delivery of therapeutics into the brain. A pipeline from pipette pulling to brain injection using low‐cost and open‐source equipment was established to facilitate the application of the APP. Conclusion In the spirit of frugal science, our device may democratize glass pipette‐puling and substantially promote the application of minimally invasive and precisely controlled delivery of therapeutics to the brain for finding more effective therapies of brain diseases.https://doi.org/10.1002/nep3.203D‐printablebrain injectionfrugal scienceglass pipette pulling
spellingShingle Guanda Qiao
David Gulisashvili
Anna Jablonska
Guiling Zhao
Miroslaw Janowski
Piotr Walczak
Yajie Liang
3D printing‐based frugal manufacturing of glass pipettes for minimally invasive delivery of therapeutics to the brain
Neuroprotection
3D‐printable
brain injection
frugal science
glass pipette pulling
title 3D printing‐based frugal manufacturing of glass pipettes for minimally invasive delivery of therapeutics to the brain
title_full 3D printing‐based frugal manufacturing of glass pipettes for minimally invasive delivery of therapeutics to the brain
title_fullStr 3D printing‐based frugal manufacturing of glass pipettes for minimally invasive delivery of therapeutics to the brain
title_full_unstemmed 3D printing‐based frugal manufacturing of glass pipettes for minimally invasive delivery of therapeutics to the brain
title_short 3D printing‐based frugal manufacturing of glass pipettes for minimally invasive delivery of therapeutics to the brain
title_sort 3d printing based frugal manufacturing of glass pipettes for minimally invasive delivery of therapeutics to the brain
topic 3D‐printable
brain injection
frugal science
glass pipette pulling
url https://doi.org/10.1002/nep3.20
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