腸管表面サンプリング用のブラシ構造を持つ磁気駆動カプセルの開発に成功 ―腸内細菌叢の分析に向けた、非接触磁気操作による腸管表面サンプルの採取のための基盤技術―

2026-09-30 東京大学

磁気駆動カプセルの動作概念および構造

＜関連情報＞

• https://www.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/press/pr2026-09-30-001
• https://www.cell.com/device/abstract/S2666-9986(26)00256-5

腸管表面サンプリング用磁気作動式ブラシ構造カプセル Magnetically actuated brush-structured capsule for intestinal surface sampling

Yuguo Dai ∙ Shuzhang Liang ∙ Hao Mo ∙ … ∙ Kenta Yamamoto ∙ Hiroki Kawashima ∙ Fumihito Arai
Device  Published:September 29, 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.device.2026.101304

Highlights

• A brush-structured capsule enables targeted sampling from the intestinal surface
• External permanent magnets control capsule locomotion and sampling
• Magnetic immobilization maintains the capsule near the target during sampling
• Collected intestinal samples support subsequent microbiome analysis

Summary

The intestine hosts a diverse population of gut microbiota that plays a crucial role in maintaining human health. However, effective methods for collecting microbiota from the intestinal surface remain limited. This study presents a minimally invasive capsule-based method for sampling microbiota located near the intestinal surface. The capsule is equipped with a brush structure that collects intestinal samples through direct contact with the intestinal wall. Several permanent magnets are embedded within the capsule, enabling non-contact manipulation using an externally controlled magnetic field. A magnet-magnet (M-M) actuation strategy based on two robotic manipulators equipped with permanent magnets was proposed to control the capsule. The feasibility of the proposed system was validated through theoretical analysis and ex vivo experimental studies. The proposed capsule design and control strategy provide a feasible approach for intestinal surface sampling and demonstrate promising potential for future biomedical and gastrointestinal diagnostic applications.