Nanoparticles for Interrogation of Cell Signaling

Abstract

Cell functions rely on signal transduction—the cascades of molecular interactions and biochemical reactions that relay extracellular signals to the cell interior. Dissecting principles governing the signal transduction process is critical for the fundamental understanding of cell physiology and the development of biomedical interventions. The complexity of cell signaling is, however, beyond what is accessible by conventional biochemistry assays. Thanks to their unique physical and chemical properties, nanoparticles (NPs) have been increasingly used for the quantitative measurement and manipulation of cell signaling. Even though research in this area is still in its infancy, it has the potential to yield new, paradigm-shifting knowledge of cell biology and lead to biomedical innovations. To highlight this importance, we summarize in this review studies that pioneered the development and application of NPs for cell signaling, from quantitative measurements of signaling molecules to spatiotemporal manipulation of cell signal transduction.

Fiber-Optic Nanosensors for Chemical Detection

“…Since then, the number of articles has decreased. This decrease may be related to the broad use of luminescence nanoparticles (probes embedded in localized environment, PEBBLEs) [38][39][40]. Such nanoparticles have been employed intensively for intercellular chemical analysis [38][39][40].…”

“…This decrease may be related to the broad use of luminescence nanoparticles (probes embedded in localized environment, PEBBLEs) [38][39][40]. Such nanoparticles have been employed intensively for intercellular chemical analysis [38][39][40]. They can be fabricated by wellelaborated chemical methods, which are probably less complicated than techniques used for the fabrication of FO nanotips.…”