☆ 4.8 Article

Bioresorbable Microdroplet Lasers as Injectable Systems for Transient Thermal Sensing and Modulation

ACS NANO (2021)

Journal

ACS NANO

Volume 15, Issue 2, Pages 2327-2339

Publisher

AMER CHEMICAL SOC

DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c10234

Keywords

temperature; self-organization; biodegradable; sensors; imaging

Funding

Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics at Northwestern University

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Abstract

This study introduces a novel method for temperature sensing and thermal modulation in living tissues using functional nanomaterials that self-assemble into optically active microstructures. These materials can act as tissue-embedded thermal sensors and distributed vehicles for thermal modulation, showing a range of multifunctional capabilities in thermal sensing and modulation with potential applications in biological research and clinical care.

Minimally invasive methods for temperature sensing and thermal modulation in living tissues have extensive applications in biological research and clinical care. As alternatives to bioelectronic devices for this purpose, functional nanomaterials that self-assemble into optically active microstructures offer important features in remote sensing, injectability, and compact size. This paper introduces a transient, or bioresorbable, system based on injectable slurries of well-defined microparticles that serve as photopumped lasers with temperature-sensitive emission wavelengths (>4-300 nm degrees C-1). The resulting platforms can act as tissue-embedded thermal sensors and, simultaneously, as distributed vehicles for thermal modulation. Each particle consists of a spherical resonator formed by self-organized cholesteric liquid crystal molecules doped with fluorophores as gain media, encapsulated in thin shells of soft hydrogels that offer adjustable rates of bioresorption through chemical modification. Detailed studies highlight fundamental aspects of these systems including particle sensitivity, lasing threshold, and size. Additional experiments explore functionality as photothermal agents with active temperature feedback (Delta T = 1 degrees C) and potential routes in remote evaluation of thermal transport properties. Cytotoxicity evaluations support their biocompatibility, and ex vivo demonstrations in Casper fish illustrate their ability to measure temperature within biological tissues with resolution of 0.01 degrees C. This collective set of results demonstrates a range of multifunctional capabilities in thermal sensing and modulation.

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Biodegradable sensors: A comprehensive review

S. Sreejith, L. M. I. Leo Joseph, Sreedhar Kollem, V. T. Vijumon, J. Ajayan

Summary: The environmental issues caused by non-degradable medical and electronic waste have been a major concern for many years. To address this problem, eco-friendly sensors made from biocompatible and biodegradable materials have been developed. These sensors degrade naturally in the physiological environment without causing any harm, making them an attractive alternative to conventional non-degradable sensors. They offer opportunities for continuous health monitoring, wearable sensors, in vivo sensing, and medical implants. This article provides a comprehensive overview of different biodegradable materials used in these sensors, their degradation mechanisms, degradation times, and applications. It also critically analyzes the developments of biodegradable wearable sensors and implantable BD-SENs.

MEASUREMENT (2023)