Gear-like MOF microrobots for single cell mechanotransduction of microvilli

Cellular mechanotransduction, mediated by specialized structures such as microvilli, regulates processes ranging from tissue homeostasis to disease progression. Existing tools for microvilli-specific biomechanical intervention suffer from limited spatiotemporal precision and non-physiological constraints, restricting mechanistic studies and targeted therapies. Here, we develop a magnetically driven gear-like metal-organic framework microrobot (MOFbot) for programmable mechanical manipulation of single-cell microvilli. MOFbots are fabricated through epitaxial growth of heterogeneous MOF structures followed by deposition of Ni/Au nanofilms. Under a rotating magnetic field, they perform rolling and obstacle negotiation. Their rotating gear structure entangles microvilli, exerting quantified pulling forces via Förster resonance energy transfer and traction force microscopy. This mechanical stimulation triggers intracellular calcium influx and enhanced focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation, indicating mechanotransduction pathway activation. Consequently, rotating MOFbots increase membrane permeability, enabling on-demand transmembrane delivery of therapeutics into targeted single cells. This work establishes a targeted cellular mechanomodulation strategy and informs future micro/nanorobotic biomedical designs. Manipulating cellular mechanotransduction is important for research and therapeutics. Here, the authors report on magnetically controlled gear-like MOFbots to stimulate microvilli, triggering intracellular signal and delivering therapeutics into cells via mechanotransduction controlled membrane permeability.