SERS analysis of single cells and subcellular components: A review

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Biotechnology
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a rapidly advancing, non-destructive analytical technique.
• Its high sensitivity and specificity make it valuable for biological and medical studies, particularly for analyzing living cells and subcellular components.
• SERS is becoming a routine and powerful tool, surpassing traditional analytical methods in reliability and convenience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent research progress in single-cell SERS.
• To discuss the challenges and future perspectives of single-cell SERS technology.
• To categorize and analyze different SERS platforms.

Main Methods:

• Categorization of SERS platforms into colloid-based, substrate-based, or hybrid types.
• Classification based on ligand dependency: ligand-based or ligand-free.
• Grouping by detection method: label-based or label-free.
• Comprehensive discussion of advantages, disadvantages, and applications of each SERS platform type.

Main Results:

• SERS platforms can be effectively categorized by their physical nature (colloid, substrate, hybrid), ligand use (ligand-based/free), and detection strategy (label-based/free).
• Each SERS platform type exhibits distinct advantages and disadvantages influencing its suitability for specific applications.
• The review highlights the growing utility and diverse applications of SERS in biological and medical research.

Conclusions:

• Single-cell SERS is a powerful technique with significant potential in biological and medical fields.
• Understanding the different SERS platform types is crucial for optimizing experimental design and application.
• Continued research and development are expected to overcome current challenges and expand the scope of SERS applications.