Real-Time Intracellular Temperature Imaging Using Lanthanide-Bearing Polymeric Micelles

Area of Science:

• Cellular Biophysics
• Nanotechnology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Measuring intracellular temperature is challenging due to complex cellular environments and heat transfer.
• Understanding cellular thermogenesis is crucial for studying various biological processes and diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel system for precise intracellular temperature mapping.
• To investigate temperature heterogeneity within individual breast cancer cells.

Main Methods:

• Utilized rationally designed luminescent lanthanide (Ln3+)-bearing polymeric micellar probes (Ln = Sm, Eu).
• Employed a fluorescence microscope system with a temperature uncertainty of 0.2 K.
• Incubated probes in MDA-MB468 breast cancer cells and recorded 2D thermal images.

Main Results:

• Observed inhomogeneous intracellular temperature progressions up to ~20 degrees.
• Detected subcellular temperature gradients of ~5 degrees between the nucleolus and other cellular regions.
• Demonstrated significant temperature differences in response to external medium temperature changes (296–304 K).

Conclusions:

• The developed luminescent probe system enables accurate intracellular temperature mapping.
• Significant intracellular temperature gradients highlight the thermogenic activity of organelles.
• This tool has potential for studying dynamic intracellular processes and cellular metabolism.