Dual-Emissive Phosphorescent Polymer Probe for Accurate Temperature Sensing in Living Cells and Zebrafish Using...

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Temperature is crucial for biochemical processes, necessitating precise measurement for diagnosis and treatment.
• Existing temperature measurement methods may lack sensitivity or be susceptible to background interference in biological systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize a dual-emissive phosphorescent polymer temperature probe for accurate and sensitive temperature detection.
• To enable ratiometric and time-resolved luminescence imaging for biological applications.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a dual-emissive polymer probe incorporating iridium(III) (temperature-sensitive) and europium(III) (reference) complexes.
• Characterization of luminescence properties, including intensity and phosphorescence lifetime, as a function of temperature.
• Application of the probe using laser scanning confocal microscopy and time-resolved luminescence imaging in Hela cells and zebrafish.

Main Results:

• The probe exhibited temperature-dependent luminescence intensity enhancement from iridium(III) complexes while europium(III) complexes remained stable, enabling ratiometric detection.
• A significant change in emission lifetime correlated with temperature variations was observed.
• Ratiometric and time-resolved imaging in Hela cells and zebrafish demonstrated enhanced sensitivity and reduced background interference.

Conclusions:

• The developed dual-emissive polymer probe offers a sensitive and reliable method for ratiometric temperature sensing in biological environments.
• Time-resolved luminescence imaging combined with ratiometric detection provides superior performance for temperature mapping in complex biosamples.
• This technology holds potential for improved biomedical diagnostics and research applications requiring precise temperature monitoring.