Microworm optode sensors limit particle diffusion to enable in vivo measurements

There have been a variety of nanoparticles created for in vivo uses ranging from gene and drug delivery to tumor imaging and physiological monitoring. The use of nanoparticles to measure physiological conditions while being fluorescently addressed through the skin provides an ideal method toward minimally invasive health monitoring. Here we create unique particles that have all the necessary physical characteristics to serve as in vivo reporters, but with minimized diffusion from the point of injection. These particles, called microworms, have a cylindrical shape coated with a biocompatible porous membrane that possesses a large surface-area-to-volume ratio while maintaining a large hydrodynamic radius. We use these microworms to create fluorescent sodium sensors for use as in vivo sodium concentration detectors after subcutaneous injection. However, the microworm concept has the potential to extend to the immobilization of other types of polymers for continuous physiological detection or delivery of molecules.