A Transformative Perspective on Aggregation-Induced Emission Bioimaging: Illuminating the Complex Pathways of Metal Nanomaterial Toxicology

Abstract

The ever-expanding universe of engineered metal nanomaterials (MNMs)—spanning therapeutics, diagnostics, energy, and consumer products—presents a dual imperative: to harness their transformative potential while rigorously ensuring their biological and environmental safety. Contemporary toxicological paradigms, reliant on conventional in vitro assays and post-mortem histology, often yield fragmented, static data that inadequately captures the dynamic, multi-scale journey of MNMs within living systems. This perspective articulates a visionary framework for integrating aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-based bioimaging as a cornerstone technology in nanotoxicology. We posit that AIE methodology represents not merely an incremental improvement in imaging but a paradigm-shifting toolkit capable of rendering the invisible lifecycle of MNMs visible, quantifiable, and mechanistically interpretable. By transcending the limitations of traditional fluorophores, AIE-based bioimaging method offer a unique synergy with MNMs, enabling real-time, spatiotemporally resolved, and multifunctional interrogation of nanomaterial fate, transformation, and biological consequences.