ABSTRACT
Therapeutic nanoparticles are designed to enhance efficacy, real-time monitoring, targeting accuracy, biocompatibility, biodegradability, safety, and the synergy of diagnosis and treatment of diseases by leveraging the unique physicochemical and biological properties of well-developed bio-nanomaterials. Recently, bio-inspired metal nanoclusters (NCs) consisting of several to roughly dozens of atoms (<2 nm) have attracted increasing research interest, owing to their ultrafine size, tunable fluorescent capability, good biocompatibility, variable metallic composition, and extensive surface bio-functionalization. Hybrid core-shell nanostructures that effectively incorporate unique fluorescent inorganic moieties with various biomolecules, such as proteins (enzymes, antigens, and antibodies), DNA, and specific cells, create fluorescently visualized molecular nanoparticle. The resultant nanoparticles possess combinatorial properties and synergistic efficacy, such as simplicity, active bio-responsiveness, improved applicability, and low cost, for combination therapy, such as accurate targeting, bioimaging, and enhanced therapeutic and biocatalytic effects. In contrast to larger nanoparticles, bio-inspired metal NCs allow rapid renal clearance and better pharmacokinetics in biological systems. Notably, advances in nanoscience, interfacial chemistry, and biotechnologies have further spurred researchers to explore bio-inspired metal NCs for therapeutic purposes. The current review presents a comprehensive and timely overview of various metal NCs for various therapeutic applications, with a special emphasis on the design rationale behind the use of biomolecules/cells as the main scaffolds. In the different hybrid platform, we summarize the current challenges and emerging perspectives, which are expected to offer in-depth insight into the rational design of bio-inspired metal NCs for personalized treatment and clinical translation.
ABSTRACT
In the past ten years, the development of electrochemiluminescent ( ECL ) analytical methods based on various types of nanostructures has become a research hotspot. Nanocluster, an intermediate between molecules and conventional nanoparticles, is renowned for its luminescent feature. The first report on ECL for nanoclusters can be traced back to 2009 . Here we summarized the main research progresses since 2011 . Firstly, the preparation of ECL-related nanoclusters was briefly introduced. Then, the mechanisms and applications of ECL by nanoclusters were described. To improve ECL performances, two main strategies, i. e. , nanostructure-based ECL enhancement and biological signal amplification were proposed. Besides, the nanoclusters as the energy transfer receptors in ECL systems were also discussed. In prospect part, the future development of ECL by nanoclusters was considered. We believed that the synthesis of high quality nanoclusters, the reveal of ECL structure-activity relationships, the rationale design and application of near-infrared ECL, and the role of ECL in the interdisciplinary research were the main problems we faced in the future.
ABSTRACT
Novel optical materials are crucial for environmental monitoring. Metal nanoclusters ( metal NCs) , typically consisting of several to tens of metal atoms, have attracted more and more attention for recent years. Due to their ultrasmall size, strong fluorescence, low toxicity, excellent stability and unique core-shell structure, metal NCs have been considered as promising optical materials for the construction of excellent fluorescent sensors. In this review, we mainly focus on the recent progress in their applications in environmental monitoring, including the detection of pH, heavy metal ions, inorganic anions and nitroaromatic explosives.