Understanding drug nanocarrier and blood-brain barrier interaction based on a microfluidic microphysiological model.

As many nanoparticles (NPs) have been exploited as drug carriers to overcome the resistance of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), reliable BBB models are urgently needed to help researchers to comprehensively understand drug nanocarrier-BBB interaction during penetration, which can prompt pre-clinical nanodrug exploitation. Herein, we developed a microfluidic microphysiological model, allowing the analysis of BBB homeostasis and NP penetration. We found that the BBB penetrability of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was size- and modification-dependent, which might be caused by a distinct transendocytosis pathway.

A covalent organic framework with a self-contained light source for photodynamic therapy.

External light-independent antitumor PDT is successfully realized with a covalent organic framework (COF)-based host-guest nanosystem. Its highly effective antitumor behavior is fully demonstrated by both HO-overexpressed 4T1 and HO-less expressed HCT116 and MCF-7 xenograft models.

High-throughput and ultra-sensitive single-cell profiling of multiple microRNAs and identification of human cancer.

We established an efficient method for single-cell miRNA analysis by droplet microfluidics, which has high sensitivity of single molecule detection and high throughput. Single-cell analysis of multiple miRNAs in various cells shows that miRNA expression is closely related to cancer type. CTC analysis shows that the method is applicable for rare cell analysis.

Fluorescent Imaging for Cysteine Detection In Vivo with High Selectivity.

As an essential amino acid, cysteine is involved in various biosynthetic and metabolic processes, such as protein synthesis, hormone synthesis, and redox homeostatic maintenance. Inordinate cysteine levels are often associated with serious diseases. Thus, designing and synthesizing a novel fluorescent probe for determining the concentration of cellular cysteine, which could indirectly monitor the prevalence of these diseases, is essential.