Multifunctional Magnetic-fluorescent Nanocomposites for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Nanotechnology is a fast-growing area, involving the fabrication and use of nano-sized materials and devices. Various nanocomposite materials play a number of important roles in modern science and technology. Magnetic and fluorescent inorganic nanoparticles are of particular importance due to their broad range of potential applications. It is expected that the combination of magnetic and fluorescent properties in one nanocomposite would enable the engineering of unique multifunctional nanoscale devices, which could be manipulated using external magnetic fields. The aim of this review is to present an overview of bimodal “two-in-one” magnetic-fluorescent nanocomposite materials which combine both magnetic and fluorescent properties in one entity, in particular those with potential applications in biotechnology and nanomedicine. There is a great necessity for the development of these multifunctional nanocomposites, but there are some difficulties and challenges to overcome in their fabrication such as quenching of the fluorescent entity by the magnetic core. Fluorescent-magnetic nanocomposites include a variety of materials including silica-based, dye-functionalised magnetic nanoparticles and quantum dots-magnetic nanoparticle composites. The classification and main synthesis strategies, along with approaches for the fabrication of fluorescent-magnetic nanocomposites, are considered. The current and potential biomedical uses, including biological imaging, cell tracking, magnetic bioseparation, nanomedicine and bio- and chemo-sensoring, of magnetic-fluorescent nanocomposites are also discussed.

Multimodal Magnetic-Plasmonic Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications

“…An external magnetic field and targeted functionalisation can be used to deliver the multimodal magnetic nanocomposites to the desired area, to hold them there until the diagnostic or treatment is complete and to eradicate them at the end. Importantly, all of these steps and processes can be monitored by MRI, CT (computed tomography) and other imaging techniques potentially allowing full control over the medical procedures [10][11][12]. New multimodal magnetic nanostructures have also found applications in molecular-imaging [13,14], as PET-MRI (positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance imaging) contrast agents [15], thermal therapy [16,17] targeted drug delivery and many others [18].…”

Polymeric nanoparticles for optical sensing

“…Magnetic SNPs can be integrated with optical reporters for simultaneous cellular imaging and bioseparation, both for in vivo and in vitro applications (Corr et al, 2008;Hwang et al, 2010;Kim et al, 2008;Salgueiriño-Maceira et al, 2006). Likewise, paramagnetic iron oxide NPs and QDs can be embedded within the same polymeric matrix (Figure 7).…”

“…Likewise, paramagnetic iron oxide NPs and QDs can be embedded within the same polymeric matrix (Figure 7). Silica-coated magnetic NPs were also grafted with QDs by means of a metal ion-driven deposition technique, for simultaneous optical and magnetic detection (Corr, Rakovich, 2008). The magnetic moiety within multifunctional NPs can also be employed for hyperthermic cancer treatment, due to its capability to generate heat upon application of an external magnetic field.…”

BODIPY-conjugated chitosan nanoparticles as a fluorescent probe

“…In recent years, bioimaging applications with fluorescent probes have attracted important attention in biology and medicine (Chekina et al, 2011;Corr et al, 2008;Terai & Nagano, 2008;Yuan et al, 2013). Especially, bioimaging applications with fluorescent molecules on cancer cells are highly promising with the possibility of real-time visual detection of an analyte both in solution and living organism (Chan et al, 2012).…”