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Upconversion Nanoparticle Decorated Spider Silks as Single-Cell Thermometers.

Zhiyong Gong¹, Tianli Wu¹, Xixi Chen¹

¹Institute of Nanophotonics, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China.

|January 21, 2021

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Researchers developed a biocompatible thermometer using spider silk and nanoparticles for precise single-cell temperature measurement. This tool aids in analyzing cellular processes and cancer diagnosis.

Area of Science:

Biomedical Engineering
Nanotechnology
Cell Biology

Background:

Noninvasive thermometry is vital for understanding cellular functions and cancer diagnostics.
Current optical fiber thermometers face limitations in biocompatibility and biodegradability within biological systems.
Spider silk offers a promising natural alternative for creating biocompatible biosensors.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a novel, biocompatible thermometer for precise, noninvasive temperature measurements at the single-cell level.
To utilize spider silk as a natural optical fiber platform for temperature sensing.
To demonstrate the application of this thermometer in monitoring cellular temperature variations, including during apoptosis.

Main Methods:

Spider silks from *Araneus ventricosus* were directly drawn and functionalized with core-shell upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) using a photophoretic technique.

Keywords:

biosensing cell thermometers spider silks upconversion nanoparticles

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The temperature sensitivity of the UCNP-decorated spider silks was calibrated.

The thermometer was used to measure the membrane temperature of single breast cancer cells and monitor temperature changes during apoptosis.

Main Results:

The spider silk-based thermometer achieved absolute sensitivities between 3.3 to 4.5 × 10^-3 K^-1 and relative sensitivities of 0.2 to 0.8% K^-1.
Accurate measurement of single breast cancer cell membrane temperature was demonstrated.
Real-time monitoring of temperature variations during the process of apoptosis was successfully achieved.

Conclusions:

Spider silk-based optical fibers functionalized with UCNPs provide a biocompatible and sensitive platform for noninvasive single-cell thermometry.
This technology offers a valuable tool for fundamental cellular process analysis and advancements in cancer diagnosis.
The developed thermometer demonstrates potential for real-time monitoring of cellular events like apoptosis.