World’s First ‘Living Machine’ Created Using Frog Cells and Artificial Intelligence – Livescience.com
By daniellenierenberg
What happens when you take cells from frog embryos and grow them into new organisms that were "evolved" by algorithms? You get something that researchers are calling the world's first "living machine."
Though the original stem cells came from frogs the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis these so-called xenobots don't resemble any known amphibians. The tiny blobs measure only 0.04 inches (1 millimeter) wide and are made of living tissue that biologists assembled into bodies designed by computer models, according to a new study.
These mobile organisms can move independently and collectively, can self-heal wounds and survive for weeks at a time, and could potentially be used to transport medicines inside a patient's body, scientists recently reported.
Related: The 6 Strangest Robots Ever Created
"They're neither a traditional robot nor a known species of animal," study co-author Joshua Bongard, a computer scientist and robotics expert at the University of Vermont, said in a statement. "It's a new class of artifact: a living, programmable organism."
Algorithms shaped the evolution of the xenobots. They grew from skin and heart stem cells into tissue clumps of several hundred cells that moved in pulses generated by heart muscle tissue, said lead study author Sam Kriegman, a doctoral candidate studying evolutionary robotics in the University of Vermont's Department of Computer Science, in Burlington.
"There's no external control from a remote control or bioelectricity. This is an autonomous agent it's almost like a wind-up toy," Kriegman told Live Science.
Biologists fed a computer constraints for the autonomous xenobots, such as the maximum muscle power of their tissues, and how they might move through a watery environment. Then, the algorithm produced generations of the tiny organisms. The best-performing bots would "reproduce" inside the algorithm. And just as evolution works in the natural world, the least successful forms would be deleted by the computer program.
"Eventually, it was able to give us designs that actually were transferable to real cells. That was a breakthrough," Kriegman said.
The study authors then brought these designs to life, piecing stem cells together to form self-powered 3D shapes designed by the evolution algorithm. Skin cells held the xenobots together, and the beating of heart tissue in specific parts of their "bodies" propelled the 'bots through water in a petri dish for days, and even weeks at a stretch, without needing additional nutrients, according to the study. The 'bots were even able to repair significant damage, said Kriegman.
"We cut the living robot almost in half, and its cells automatically zippered its body back up," he said.
"We can imagine many useful applications of these living robots that other machines can't do," said study co-author Michael Levin, director of theCenter for Regenerative and Developmental Biologyat Tufts University in Massachusetts. These might include targeting toxic spills or radioactive contamination, collecting marine microplastics or even excavating plaque from human arteries, Levin said in a statement.
Creations that blur the line between robots and living organisms are popular subjects in science fiction; think of the killer machines in the "Terminator" movies or the replicants from the world of "Blade Runner." The prospect of so-called living robots and using technology to create living organisms understandably raises concerns for some, said Levin.
"That fear is not unreasonable," Levin said. "When we start to mess around with complex systems that we don't understand, we're going to get unintended consequences."
Nevertheless, building on simple organic forms like the xenobots could also lead to beneficial discoveries, he added.
"If humanity is going to survive into the future, we need to better understand how complex properties, somehow, emerge from simple rules," Levin said.
The findings were published online Jan. 13 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Originally published on Live Science.
- Colossal Creates Elephant Stem Cells for the First Time in Quest to Revive the Woolly Mammoth - Singularity Hub - March 18th, 2024
- Vitamin A could have a key role in both stem cell biology and wound healing: Study - Medical Dialogues - March 10th, 2024
- A dive into the genetic history of India, and the role of vitamin A in skin repair - Science - March 10th, 2024
- Herbosa: Clinic under probe after skin treatments linked to womans death - Philstar.com - January 22nd, 2024
- These Will Be the Biggest Skin-Care Trends of 2024 - Allure - December 28th, 2023
- Sorry, But These 10 Skincare Products Are A Scam - Refinery29 - December 12th, 2023
- Cyclerion Strengthens Board of Directors with Experienced Company Builder and Cutting-edge Innovator - December 4th, 2023
- Aptose Appoints Fletcher Payne Chief Business Officer, Expanding his Executive Role - December 4th, 2023
- Opthea to Present at the FLORetina 2023 Congress - December 4th, 2023
- HUTCHMED Highlights Clinical Data to be Presented at 2023 ESMO Asia and ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congresses - December 4th, 2023
- AC Immune Strengthens Management, Appoints Madiha Derouazi as CSO and Christopher Roberts as CFO - December 4th, 2023
- Publication of a transparency notification received from Tolefi SA (Article 14 §1 of the Law of 2 May 2007) - December 4th, 2023
- Annovis Bio Appoints Andrew Walsh as Vice President Finance - December 4th, 2023
- Foghorn Therapeutics Announces Clinical Data from Phase 1 Study of FHD-286, a Novel BRG1/BRM Inhibitor, in Patients with Advanced Hematologic... - December 4th, 2023
- Akari Therapeutics Appoints Experienced Life Sciences Entrepreneur Samir R. Patel, M.D. to Board of Directors - December 4th, 2023
- Ovid Therapeutics to Present Five Abstracts Supporting its Epilepsy Programs at the 77th American Epilepsy Society Annual Meeting (2023) - December 4th, 2023
- Spectral Medical Announces CFO Departure - December 4th, 2023
- Are STEM CELL EXOSOMES the secret to a 'snatched' jawline? Discover the products that influencers are claiming - Daily Mail - November 18th, 2023
- Defence Mechanisms: Four ways your body is protecting you every time you fall sick - indulgexpress - May 16th, 2023
- Treat Yourself to a Spa Day With a $100 Deal on $600 Worth of Products From Elemis, 111SKIN, Nest & More - E! NEWS - May 16th, 2023
- INTERNATIONAL STEM CELL CORP MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (form 10-K) - Marketscreener.com - April 5th, 2023
- Skin Regeneration: The Science and How to Boost It - Healthline - March 9th, 2023
- Treat Yourself to a Spa Day With a $100 Deal on $600 Worth of Products From Elemis, U Beauty, Nest & More - E! NEWS - March 1st, 2023
- 7-year-old vows to find a cure for brother in need of bone marrow transplant - WJLA - February 21st, 2023
- World's most radioactive man 'cried blood' as his skin melted in 83-day nightmare - Times Now - February 4th, 2023
- How old are you, really? The answer is written on your face. - National Geographic UK - February 4th, 2023
- Skin: Layers, Structure and Function - Cleveland Clinic - January 27th, 2023
- Human skin | Definition, Layers, Types, & Facts | Britannica - January 27th, 2023
- Skin Disorders: Pictures, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment - Healthline - January 27th, 2023
- Skin care: 5 tips for healthy skin - Mayo Clinic - January 27th, 2023
- Skin Care and Aging | National Institute on Aging - January 27th, 2023
- Wrinkles - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic - January 27th, 2023
- Dry skin - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic - January 27th, 2023
- Stem cells: a brief history and outlook - Science in the News - January 3rd, 2023
- Still Drinking Green Tea? Doctor Reveals A Healthier Drink With Proven Benefits For Diabetes, Aging, Oxidative Stress, And Cancer - Revyuh - January 3rd, 2023
- RUDN Physician And Russian Scientists Investigate Long-term Effects Of Treating Diabetic Ulcers With Stem Cells - India Education Diary - December 25th, 2022
- The Use of Stem Cells in Burn Wound Healing: A Review - Hindawi - December 1st, 2022
- FACTORFIVE Skincare The Power of Stem Cells for Skin - December 1st, 2022
- Embryonic Stem Cells - The Definitive Guide | Biology Dictionary - December 1st, 2022
- From pro soccer hopeful to hip hop artist with illness and addiction along the way, Tymaz Bagbani releases debut album - Toronto Star - December 1st, 2022
- Stem Cells | The ALS Association - November 22nd, 2022
- What is a stem cell? YourGenome - October 29th, 2022
- Skin Cell - The Definitive Guide | Biology Dictionary - October 29th, 2022
- Explora Journeys Plans Extensive Fitness And Well-Being Initiatives At Sea, Right On Trend - Forbes - October 29th, 2022
- Ahead of the holiday shopping season, Amazon kicks off second annual Holiday Beauty Haul on Oct. 24 - KXAN.com - October 21st, 2022
- Human skin color - Wikipedia - October 13th, 2022
- Mesenchymal Stem Cells | Properties, Process, Functions, & Therapies - October 13th, 2022
- Skin Grafting, Cryopreservation, and Diseases: A Review Article - Cureus - October 13th, 2022
- Anti-ageing cosmetics: Can they turn back the hands of the clock? - The Sunday Guardian Live - The Sunday Guardian - October 13th, 2022
- Brennand named Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Psychiatry - Yale News - October 13th, 2022
- The Switch to Regenerative Medicine - Dermatology Times - October 13th, 2022
- Last Chance to Get The Collagen-Infused Massage Oil That Moisturizes Skin & Diminishes Cellulite For Less Than $20 - msnNOW - October 13th, 2022
- Addison's Disease Explained: Causes, Symptoms, And Treatments - Health Digest - October 13th, 2022
- Stem Cells Therapy for Autism: Does it Work? - October 5th, 2022
- Stem-like CD8 T cells mediate response of adoptive cell ... - PubMed - October 5th, 2022
- 6 Under Eye Products You Need To Have STAT - Grazia India - October 5th, 2022
- CellResearch Corporation (CRC) to present promising new stem cell products for the treatment of chronic diabetic foot ulcers at the world's premier... - September 27th, 2022
- Reprogramming pig cells leads way for new regenerative therapies - National Hog Farmer - September 27th, 2022
- A glimpse into Indian consumers expectations for cosmetic treatments and consumption insights - The Financial Express - September 27th, 2022
- Tajmeel redefines beauty to give its patients the best results - Gulf News - September 27th, 2022
- Here Is Why You Heal Slower As You Age - Health Digest - September 27th, 2022
- Creating stem cells from minipigs offers promise for improved treatments - University of Wisconsin-Madison - September 19th, 2022
- Israeli Biotech Firm Plans to Create Human Embryos to Harvest Organs, Field Experts Say There are Ethical Concerns - CBN.com - September 19th, 2022
- CellResearch Corporation (CRC) announces positive results of Phase I study for CorLiCyte - PR Newswire - September 19th, 2022
- The best CBD and hemp products for pampering your skin this fall - Leafly - September 19th, 2022
- Benjamin Button For Real? Scientists Are Close To Cracking The Code To Reverse Aging - Worldcrunch - September 19th, 2022
- I took an international trip with my frozen eggs to learn about the fertility industry - MIT Technology Review - September 19th, 2022
- Propanc Biopharma Reports Significant Effects of PRP Against the Tumor Microenvironment - Business Wire - September 11th, 2022
- 6 Ingredients to Avoid Putting on Your Skin - Healthline - September 3rd, 2022
- Regenerative Properties of the Newborn Heart Offers Hope for Those With Congenital Heart Disease - The Epoch Times - September 3rd, 2022
- Meet White Orange: The Vitamin C Skin Care Brand For Sensitive Skin - Bustle - September 3rd, 2022
- Rejuvenation Roundup August 2022 - Lifespan.io News - September 3rd, 2022
- To better understand Parkinson's disease, this San Diego expert sent her own cells to space - The San Diego Union-Tribune - August 26th, 2022
- Inside the race to make human sex cells in the lab - MIT Technology Review - August 26th, 2022
- Global Biomaterials Market to Reach Value of $372.7 Billion by 2028 | Demand For Biomaterials in the Healthcare Industry will Grow by 53% Over the... - August 26th, 2022
- A Groovy Guide to Anti-Aging Products With CBD and Mushrooms - Out Magazine - August 26th, 2022
- New milestone organoid synthesis will boost disease and drug development research - RegMedNet - August 10th, 2022
- Victoria Beckham and Kim Kardashian are fans of Augustinus Baders skincare range - and you can get 20% off - The Mirror - August 10th, 2022
- Mutant T Cells That Drive Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Progression May React To a Brain Antigen - The Scientist - August 10th, 2022
- Why Glucose Restrictions Are Essential in Treating Cancer - The Epoch Times - August 10th, 2022