Advances in spherical nanoparticle-labeled lateral flow immunoassays in the field of clinical detection

Abstract

Lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA), as one of the core technologies of point-of-care testing (POCT), holds significant value in pathogen diagnosis and biomarker analysis. Notably, spherical nanomaterials exhibit high clinical translatability and commercial advantages. Therefore, this review first employs bibliometric analysis of relevant literature from 2015 to 2025 to outline research trends, and summarizes the preparation and optimization strategies for various spherical nano labels, such as noble metal nanoparticles, fluorescent nanoparticles, nanozyme-active nanoparticles, surface-enhanced Raman scattering active nanoparticles, and magnetic nanoparticles. In addition, this review discusses the synergistic enhancement effects of multimodal signal strategies such as colorimetric, fluorescent, SERS, magnetic, and photothermal signals in clinical diagnostics, and elaborates on the role of surface functionalization mechanisms in improving detection sensitivity and specificity. Currently, systematic reviews focusing on spherical nano label-assisted lateral flow immunoassay for clinical sample detection remain scarce. This review not only provides a theoretical basis and technical support for precision medical diagnostics but also lays a critical foundation for advancing the development of personalized and intelligent home-based health monitoring systems.