A Chromatic Nanoswitcher for Thermal Monitoring of Cell Metabolism
Abstract Accurate sensing of intracellular temperature is crucial for understanding and monitoring cell metabolism, serving as an initial step toward diagnosing conditions such as mitochondria‐related diseases. However, thermal monitoring of cell metabolism is challenging due to the minimal temperature variations caused by intracellular metabolic activity (typically ≈1 °C) and by the risk of crosstalk in intracellular sensors. A novel type of intracellular thermal sensor is presented, based on silica nanocapsules filled with a thermo‐responsive fluorescent medium. This medium undergoes a reversible phase transition from solid to liquid at temperatures ≈37 °C, inducing a chromatic switch that facilitates remote thermal sensing. The chromatic switchers exhibit a thermal sensitivity of ≈13% °C⁻¹ at 37 °C, one of the highest reported for intracellular thermal sensing. Notably, the thermal response is unaffected by external factors such as pH, ionic strength, and viscosity. Moreover, it is confirmed that the response of the sensors is not affected by the cellular activity, underscoring their reliability for cytoplasmic temperature measurements. The potential of these sensors is demonstrated by measuring intracellular heating during the metabolic switch from mitochondrial to glycolytic activity, showcasing their potential for real‐time, precise thermal monitoring (<1 °C) of cell metabolism.
Authors
- Daniel Ruiz‐Molina (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6844-8421)
- Beñat Salegi Ansa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5054-758X)
- Sara Cogliati (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0374-3489)
- Jordi Hernando (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1126-4138)
- Claudio Roscini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0157-8934)
- P. Haro‐González (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1568-3794)
- Jaume Ramon Otaegui (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9596-8625)
- Júlia Lorenzo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5659-6008)
- Daniel Jaque (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3225-0667)
- Laura Formentini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5641-821X)
- Fengchan Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0751-1009)
- Eva Villar‐Álvarez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4023-1375)
- Álvaro Artiga (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9475-6367)
- Marina París Ogáyar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4816-7729)
Institutions
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ES)
- Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre (ES)
- Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia (ES)
- Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (ES)
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (ES)
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (ES)
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (ES)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Advanced Functional Materials
- Published
- 2025-01-22
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202418813
- Citations
- 5
- Primary Topic
- Analytical Chemistry and Sensors
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.68
Funders
- Fundación Ramón Areces
- Comunidad de Madrid
- Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia
- European Commission
- Generalitat de Catalunya
- China Scholarship Council
- Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
- Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca
- European Regional Development Fund
- Agencia Estatal de Investigación