Nanometer-scale luminescent thermometry in bovine embryos

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Nanotechnology
• Reproductive Biology

Background:

• Nanoluminescent thermometry offers precise temperature monitoring in biological systems.
• Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) and upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are highly sensitive nanothermometers.
• Accurate temperature measurement is critical for understanding embryonic development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of FNDs and UCNPs as simultaneous nanothermometers within bovine embryos.
• To enhance the reliability of temperature measurements by employing two distinct sensing modalities.
• To address the controversy regarding sensor accuracy in living cellular environments.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) with nitrogen-vacancy color centers for temperature sensing.
• Employing lanthanide-ion-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) as a second, independent temperature sensing modality.
• Performing simultaneous in-situ temperature measurements within bovine embryos using both FNDs and UCNPs.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated the feasibility of using both FNDs and UCNPs for nanothermometry in bovine embryos.
• Showcased how dual-modality sensing significantly improves measurement confidence.
• Provided a method to mitigate potential sensor confusion arising from the local cellular environment.

Conclusions:

• Simultaneous application of FNDs and UCNPs provides a robust approach to nanothermometry in embryos.
• This dual-probe strategy enhances measurement reliability and addresses limitations of single-sensor methods.
• The findings contribute to accurate thermal monitoring in developmental biology and reproductive technologies.