Issue 17, 2023

Fluorescent nano- and microparticles for sensing cellular microenvironment: past, present and future applications

Abstract

The tumor microenvironment (TME) demonstrates distinct hallmarks, including acidosis, hypoxia, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and altered ion fluxes, which are crucial targets for early cancer biomarker detection, tumor diagnosis, and therapeutic strategies. Various imaging and sensing techniques have been developed and employed in both research and clinical settings to visualize and monitor cellular and TME dynamics. Among these, ratiometric fluorescence-based sensors have emerged as powerful analytical tools, providing precise and sensitive insights into TME and enabling real-time detection and tracking of dynamic changes. In this comprehensive review, we discuss the latest advancements in ratiometric fluorescent probes designed for the optical mapping of pH, oxygen, ROS, ions, and biomarkers within the TME. We elucidate their structural designs and sensing mechanisms as well as their applications in in vitro and in vivo detection. Furthermore, we explore integrated sensing platforms that reveal the spatiotemporal behavior of complex tumor cultures, highlighting the potential of high-resolution imaging techniques combined with computational methods. This review aims to provide a solid foundation for understanding the current state of the art and the future potential of fluorescent nano- and microparticles in the field of cellular microenvironment sensing.

Graphical abstract: Fluorescent nano- and microparticles for sensing cellular microenvironment: past, present and future applications

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
05 apr 2023
Accepted
13 jun 2023
First published
10 jul 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Nanoscale Adv., 2023,5, 4311-4336

Fluorescent nano- and microparticles for sensing cellular microenvironment: past, present and future applications

G. Grasso, F. Colella, S. Forciniti, V. Onesto, H. Iuele, A. C. Siciliano, F. Carnevali, A. Chandra, G. Gigli and L. L. del Mercato, Nanoscale Adv., 2023, 5, 4311 DOI: 10.1039/D3NA00218G

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