Nanoparticle Functionalization and Its Potentials for Molecular Imaging

Abstract

Functionalization enhances the properties and characteristics of nanoparticles through surface modification, and enables them to play a major role in the field of medicine. In molecular imaging, quality functional images are required with proper differentiation which can be seen with high contrast to obtain viable information. This review article discusses how functionalization enhances molecular imaging and enables multimodal imaging by which images with combination of functions particular to each modality can be obtained. This also explains how nanoparticles interacting at molecular level, when functionalized with molecules can target the cells of interest or substances with high specificity, reducing background signal and allowing simultaneous therapies to be carried out while imaging. Functionalization allows imaging for a prolonged period and enables to track the cells over a period of time. Recent researches and progress in functionalizing the nanoparticles to specifically enhance bioimaging with different modalities and their applications are reviewed in this article.

Full‐Color Emission Polymer Carbon Dots with Quench‐Resistant Solid‐State Fluorescence

“…[1,2] Polymer carbon dots (PCDs), a new type of fluorescent carbon dots (CDs), prepared through polymerization and crosslinking between small molecules, have emerged and attracted increasing interest due to their unique structures and excellent properties including low toxicity, excitation-dependent luminescence, low cost, chemical inertness, and excellent biocompatibility. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] The "core-shell" structure of PCDs distinguishes them from other small molecules and carbon based fluorophores by small molecule/polymer crosslinking into the emission center and holding outer polymer chains synchronously. [3,4,6] Instead of containing typical conjugated chromophore, whose band gap information…”

Surface‐Active Fluorinated Quantum Dots for Enhanced Cellular Uptake

“…Much efforth as been directed towards the understanding of the cellular uptake of nanoparticles (NPs) to design novel nanostructures with improved bioperformancea nd, consequently,ah igher efficiency in biomedical applications,s uch as bioimaging, intracellular sensing, and drug delivery,a mong others. [1][2][3][4] In this direction, functionalization strategies to optimize cellular uptake and trafficking as well as methodologies to revealt he parameters controlling the nanoparticle-cell interactions are of utmost importance. [5,6] The first major barrier against the influx of exogenous materials inside ac ell is the impermeable phospholipid bilayer of the cellular membrane, and the particular behavior of this bilayer is often unpredictable.…”

Microfluidic Generation of Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications

“…In recent decades, NPs have drawn significant attention in biomedicine because of their extensive applications in drug delivery systems, contrast agents, diagnostic tools and antennas for photothermal therapy . The formation of NPs can be roughly divided into three stages: nucleation, growth and agglomeration .…”

“…In recent decades, NPs have drawn significant attention in biomedicine because of their extensive applications in drug delivery systems, contrast agents, diagnostic tools and antennas for photothermal therapy. [81][82][83][84][85] The formation of NPs can be roughly divided into three stages: nucleation, growth and agglomeration. [86][87][88] In a conventional batch synthesis, the three stages are poorly controlled and inevitably occurring at the same time, thus it is technically challenging to fabricate NPs with a uniform size and desired structure.…”