Fluorescent nano- and microparticles for sensing cellular microenvironment: past, present and future applications

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Chemical Sensing
• Cancer Research

Background:

• The tumor microenvironment (TME) exhibits unique characteristics such as acidosis, hypoxia, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and altered ion fluxes.
• These TME hallmarks are critical targets for early cancer detection, diagnosis, and therapeutic interventions.
• Current imaging and sensing techniques are employed to visualize and monitor cellular and TME dynamics in research and clinical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the latest advancements in ratiometric fluorescent probes for optical mapping of the TME.
• To elucidate the structural designs, sensing mechanisms, and applications of these probes for pH, oxygen, ROS, ions, and biomarkers.
• To explore integrated sensing platforms and high-resolution imaging techniques for analyzing complex tumor cultures.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of ratiometric fluorescent probes for TME sensing.
• Analysis of probe structural designs and sensing mechanisms.
• Evaluation of applications in in vitro and in vivo detection, including integrated sensing platforms and computational methods.

Main Results:

• Ratiometric fluorescence-based sensors provide precise and sensitive insights into TME.
• These sensors enable real-time detection and tracking of dynamic changes in TME.
• Advancements include probes for optical mapping of pH, oxygen, ROS, ions, and biomarkers within the TME.

Conclusions:

• Ratiometric fluorescent probes are powerful tools for understanding TME dynamics.
• Integrated sensing platforms combined with advanced imaging and computational methods offer potential for high-resolution analysis.
• Fluorescent nano- and microparticles hold significant future potential in cellular microenvironment sensing for cancer research.