Near Infrared (NIR) imaging: Exploring biologically relevant chemical space for lanthanide complexes

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Imaging
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Near Infrared (NIR) imaging agents are crucial for disease diagnosis and treatment, particularly in oncology.
• Current NIR agents primarily include organic dyes, polymers, and inorganic nanomaterials.
• Lanthanide (Ln) molecular complexes represent an emerging alternative for designing advanced NIR probes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and categorize existing NIR imaging agents based on molecular size and composition.
• To elucidate the mechanistic aspects of sensitization and Ln luminescence for improved probe design.
• To highlight the potential of Ln complexes in biological applications and activity.

Main Methods:

• Categorization of NIR imaging agents by molecular size and constitution.
• Mechanistic explanation of sensitization and lanthanide luminescence.
• Case study of Near Infrared ytterbium (Yb3+) probes for biological activity.

Main Results:

• NIR imaging agents are classified into distinct categories based on their structural and compositional properties.
• Understanding Ln luminescence mechanisms provides insights for designing novel NIR probes.
• Exploration of biologically relevant chemical spaces for lanthanide complexes shows promise for biological activity.

Conclusions:

• Lanthanide molecular complexes present a promising avenue for developing next-generation NIR imaging agents.
• Further research into Ln complexes can expand the molecular toolkit for preclinical and clinical applications.
• Investigating biologically relevant chemical spaces is key to unlocking the full potential of lanthanide-based probes.