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Fluorescent Materials with Excellent Biocompatibility and Their Application in Bio-Sensing, Bio-Imaging (3rd Edition)

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A Special Issue of Biosensors (ISSN 2079-6374) belonging to the section "Biosensor Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2027 | Viewed by 7643

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Editors

Dr. Yalong Wang

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Guest Editor

School of Biomedical Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou, China
Interests: fluorescent material; luminescence material; fluorescent probe; fluorescent sensor; biosensor; fluorescent imaging; bioimaging; photosensitizer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Mingqiang Zhu

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Guest Editor

Dr. Deteng Zhang

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Guest Editor

Institute of Neuroregeneration and Neurorehabilitation, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
Interests: fluorescent material; luminescence material; fluorescent probe; fluorescent sensor; biosensor; fluorescent imaging; bioimaging; photosensitizer
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Dr. Meng Zheng

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Guest Editor

Qingdao Haiwan Science and Technology Industry Research Institute Co., Ltd., Qingdao, China
Interests: fluorescent material; luminescence material; fluorescent probe; fluorescent sensor; biosensor; fluorescent imaging; bioimaging; photosensitizer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fluorescent material is an extensively studied issue in the bio-field because it is easy to functionalize and tune fluorescence colour. In previous decades, major progress in the synthesis, characterization, and application of fluorescent materials has been accomplished, along with the recent development of nano-, biobased, sensor, imaging, and high-performance material-based technologies. These advanced technologies promote the application of fluorescent materials in a wide range of applications, for instance, bio-sensing, bio-labelling, bio-tracing, bio-imaging, diseases diagnosis, and therapy, etc. To advance the use of fluorescent materials in the bio-field, the development of biocompatible fluorescent materials (BFM) has become increasingly relevant. The intention of this research topic is to describe the biocompatible fluorescent materials (BFM), the recent breakthroughs in this field, and their application in the bio-field. Our attention will be focused on: (i) the fabrication of novel fluorescent detection devices for bio-objects; and (ii) applications in bio-field, bio-sensing, bio-tracing, bio-imaging and diseases diagnosis and therapy, etc. We hope that this research topic will attract the attention of academic and industrial researchers who are interested in the development of biocompatible fluorescent materials (BFM) and their biological applications. Our goal is to stimulate ideas, methods, and technologies related to chemistry, biology, materials science, medicine, bioscience, and electronics in this exciting area.

We welcome manuscripts from diverse aspects of fluorescent materials, including but not limited to the following:

Synthesis and design of novel fluorescent materials with excellent biocompatibility;
Preparation of fluorescent materials, including materials synthesis and purification;
Multi-scale techniques and morphological studies on biocompatible fluorescent materials;
Investigation of fluorescent materials structure-property relationships;
Applications in cell-labelling, tumour labelling and therapy, bio-sensing, bio-imaging, etc.;
The fabrication of novel fluorescent detection devices for bio-object.

Dr. Yalong Wang
Prof. Dr. Mingqiang Zhu
Dr. Deteng Zhang
Dr. Meng Zheng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biosensors is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

fluorescent material
luminescence material
fluorescent probe
fluorescent sensor
biosensor
fluorescent imaging
bioimaging photosensitizer

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 10623 KB

Open AccessArticle

Reversal Nanoimprinted 3D Plasmonic Sensor Around Microposts for Cell and DNA Detection

by Yijun Cheng and Stella W. Pang

Biosensors 2026, 16(8), 443; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios16080443 - 16 Aug 2026

Viewed by 428

Abstract

Localized surface plasmon resonance biosensors are promising devices for label-free detection of live cells and biomolecules. However, typical plasmonic sensors have limited surface area, planar electromagnetic fields, and poor compatibility with three-dimensional (3D) interactions with cells or biomolecules. In this study, a 3D plasmonic sensor around microposts was developed using reversal nanoimprint lithography for highly sensitive cell and DNA detection. Au nanopillars were conformally integrated onto the bottom, sidewall, and top of microposts, forming additional sensing surface area along the sidewall of microposts for plasmonic sensing. The 3D plasmonic sensors exhibited tunable resonance peaks and refractive index (RI) sensitivities by varying the micropost height. The highest sensitivity of 1306 nm per RI unit was obtained from the sensor with 10 μm-tall microposts at a resonance wavelength of 1315 nm, which was significantly higher than that of typical planar plasmonic sensors. The platform was applied to live MC3T3-E1 cell detection, showing a resonance peak shift of 71 ± 11.6 nm at a cell concentration of 10⁶ cells/mL with a cell concentration ranging from 10² to 10⁶ cells/mL. In addition, DNA hybridization detection was demonstrated over a concentration range of 10⁻¹⁵–10⁻⁷ M complementary target DNA, with a resonance shift of 68 ± 2.5 nm observed at 10⁻⁷ M target DNA concentration. The 3D plasmonic sensor provides a scalable device for additional plasmonic biointerfaces with enhanced analyte accessibility and light–matter interactions. This platform offers high-sensitivity biosensing involving live cells, nucleic acids, and other biological targets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fluorescent Materials with Excellent Biocompatibility and Their Application in Bio-Sensing, Bio-Imaging (3rd Edition))

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15 pages, 1972 KB

Open AccessArticle

Seasonal Variations and Indoor–Outdoor Characteristics of Fluorescent Aerosol Particles in Japanese Office Buildings

by Shota Tsuchiya, U. Yanagi, Hoon Kim, Kei Shimonosono and Naoki Kagi

Biosensors 2026, 16(7), 380; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios16070380 - 11 Jul 2026

Viewed by 613

Abstract

Fluorescent aerosol particles (FAPs) are widely used as a real-time proxy for primary biological aerosol particles; however, their seasonal characteristics and size-resolved distributions in office environments remain poorly understood. In this study, FAPs were measured in ten office spaces located in four distinct regions of Japan during summer and winter using a real-time Bioaerosol Sensor. Indoor and outdoor FAP concentrations, indoor/outdoor ratios, and the size-resolved FAP fraction were evaluated. Indoor FAP concentrations were generally below 100 particles per liter (p/L), although peak concentrations of 140 p/L in summer and 195 p/L in winter were observed. Significant seasonal differences were detected in most offices, with several buildings showing higher concentrations in winter. Many offices exhibited relative humidity levels below 40% during winter, suggesting that dry indoor conditions may have promoted particle resuspension and contributed to elevated FAP concentrations. Indoor–outdoor comparisons suggested contributions from both indoor sources and outdoor infiltration. The size-resolved FAP fraction increased markedly with particle size, with median indoor values reaching 40–74% for 2.0–5.0 μm particles and 96–100% for particles > 5.0 μm. These findings indicate that FAPs in office environments are strongly associated with coarse particles and exhibit substantial seasonal and building-dependent variability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fluorescent Materials with Excellent Biocompatibility and Their Application in Bio-Sensing, Bio-Imaging (3rd Edition))

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20 pages, 6724 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Fluorescence Imaging-Based 3D Analysis Pipeline for Mouse Trigeminal Ganglion Neurons

by Jiajia Wang, Xinyu Yuan, Jianchao Zhang, Jingyi Che and Xiaojun Wang

Biosensors 2026, 16(6), 333; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios16060333 - 11 Jun 2026

Viewed by 547

Abstract

As the primary peripheral relay station for vibrissal tactile information, the trigeminal ganglion (TG) features heterogeneous three-dimensional (3D) cytoarchitecture that eludes full characterization using conventional two-dimensional methodologies. A high-resolution 3D imaging and reconstruction pipeline is thus required to unveil TG structural organization and define the spatial framework of target-related sensory neurons. Herein, we established a fluorescence micro-optical sectioning tomography (fMOST)-based workflow for 3D cytoarchitectural mapping of TG anatomy and validated its utility for profiling the distributions of TG neurons innervating vibrissae via single-axon tracing. fMOST imaging coupled with propidium iodide (PI) staining was applied to acquire whole-head anatomical data encompassing the vibrissae and the TG at cellular resolution. Based on clearly resolved cellular morphology and the spatial distribution of neuronal somata, we delineated the soma distribution of TG neurons and revealed a spatially heterogeneous 3D organization pattern, from which we operationally defined two anatomically distinct subdomains: the neuronal soma-rich region (NSRR) and the fiber-rich region (FRR). Furthermore, with retrograde viral/genetic labeling combined with neuronal tracing, TG neurons innervating the C2, D3, and δ vibrissae were observed in both NSRR and FRR, showing partially overlapping yet spatially biased distributions consistent with previous population-level observations of vibrissa-row-dependent topography. Notably, TG neurons innervating the δ vibrissa occupied a comparatively broader spatial extent along the anteroposterior plane in our dataset. Overall, this study facilitates an in-depth mechanistic and anatomical understanding of TG cytoarchitectural organization and underlying functional mechanisms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fluorescent Materials with Excellent Biocompatibility and Their Application in Bio-Sensing, Bio-Imaging (3rd Edition))

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18 pages, 11885 KB

Open AccessArticle

Dopant-Engineered Downshifting Nanoparticles with Dual NIR-II Fluorescence and Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Diagnosis and Image-Guided Surgery of Breast Cancer

by Zia Ullah, Mu Du, Lihong Jiang, Yibin Yan, Yuqian Yan, Jingsi Gu, Jing Cheng, Bing Guo and Zun Wang

Biosensors 2026, 16(3), 180; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios16030180 - 23 Mar 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1233

Abstract

As surgery is the first-line paradigm for many solid tumors, precision in preoperative diagnosis and intraoperative imaging is of significant importance. Dual MRI and NIR-II fluorescence imaging could fulfill precision imaging requirements in treating cancers, because of its deep penetration and real-time high spatiotemporal resolution. Thus, the design of dual MRI/NIR-II fluorescence contrast agents is crucial for the diagnosis and surgery of cancers. Herein, we developed optically transparent NaGdF4 matrix-based downshifting nanoparticles (DSNPs) co-doped with Nd³⁺, Yb³⁺, and Er³⁺ as a single nanoplatform for dual NIR-II fluorescence and T1-weighted MRI. Systematic dopant engineering reveals that optimal Nd³⁺ loading enhances cascade Nd → Yb → Er energy transfer and yields intense NIR-II emission at 1334 and 1521 nm upon 808 nm excitation with a relative quantum yield of 1.55, while the presence of Gd³⁺ in the optically transparent matrix imparts strong T1 contrast (4.98 s⁻¹mM⁻¹). The Pluronic F-127 surface coating confers colloidal stability and biocompatibility. In vitro assays confirm negligible cytotoxicity and efficient cellular uptake. In vivo studies in subcutaneous 4T1 tumor-bearing mice demonstrate robust accumulation, high tumor-to-background contrast in both MRI/NIR-II fluorescence and enable precise NIR-II fluorescence imaging-guided surgery with real-time margin visualization. Therefore, dopant-engineered DSNPs represent a promising dual-modal imaging agent for deep-tissue diagnostic and real-time surgical guidance in precision oncology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fluorescent Materials with Excellent Biocompatibility and Their Application in Bio-Sensing, Bio-Imaging (3rd Edition))

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15 pages, 5144 KB

Open AccessArticle

Imprinted Proteins as a Receptor in Fluorescent Sensing Microplate Assay for Herbicide Determination

by Kirill Y. Presnyakov, Ivan S. Matlakhov, Ivan A. Reshetnik, Polina M. Ilicheva, Daria V. Tsyupka, Daria G. Koganova, Svetlana A. Mescheryakova, Tatyana Y. Rusanova, Mikhail V. Pozharov, Daniil D. Drozd, Pavel S. Pidenko, Irina Y. Goryacheva and Natalia A. Burmistrova

Biosensors 2026, 16(3), 149; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios16030149 - 3 Mar 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1416

Abstract

The manuscript describes an optical sensing microplate for the high-throughput screening of imidazolinone herbicides in soil extracts. As far as we know, imprinted proteins (IPs) specific to imidazolinone herbicides have not been synthesized and used as a recognition element for their solid-phase extraction before. Imprinted bovine serum albumin (BSA) and glucose oxidase (GOx) were synthesized in the presence of imazamox as a template and then these IPs were immobilized at the bottom of microplate wells. The sorption capacity (Q) of aminated silica nanoparticles modified by IPs (IP–BIS) was 6.38 mg g⁻¹ while the imprinting factor (

I F

) equaled 2.6. The concentration of imazamox was determined by a “turn-off” solid-phase assay using alloyed CdZnSeS/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) as a component of fluorescent substrate. Alloyed CdZnSeS/ZnS QDs were stabilized in an aqueous phase by positively charged cysteamine that, as far we know, had not been used as this type of ligand before. Our method allows for determining the concentration of imazamox in the range of 0.5–9.2 μg mL⁻¹, with a limit of quantification limit of quantitation (LOQ) equal to 0.45 μg mL⁻¹ The sensing microplate enables parallel detection of up to 96 samples containing herbicides using standard fluorescence microplate readers or smartphones. The paper describes how such sensing microplates can be used for the analysis of artificially contaminated soil samples. The proposed approach combines pre-concentration of analyte at the IPs with its subsequent determination on a single analytical platform, thus allowing for both highly sensitive determination in laboratory conditions and mass screening in the field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fluorescent Materials with Excellent Biocompatibility and Their Application in Bio-Sensing, Bio-Imaging (3rd Edition))

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16 pages, 2247 KB

Open AccessArticle

Magnetic Europium Ion-Based Fluorescence Sensing Probes for the Detection of Tetracyclines in Complex Samples

by Miftakhul Jannatin and Yu-Chie Chen

Biosensors 2026, 16(1), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios16010029 - 1 Jan 2026

Viewed by 1492

Abstract

Eu³⁺ is a fluorescent and paramagnetic ion whose emission intensity increases when chelated with enhancers such as tetracycline (TC). In this study, Eu³⁺ was conjugated with citric acid (CA) to form magnetic fluorescent probes capable of capturing trace TC from solutions. The probes were rapidly prepared (~2.25 min) and trapped TC within ~2.5 min under microwave heating. The method enabled sensitive detection of TC, oxytetracycline, and chlortetracycline with detection limits of ~3–7 nM by fluorescence spectroscopy. It was successfully applied to real food samples, including fresh chicken broth and commercial broth cubes, achieving high accuracy (93.7% and 96.6%). This dual-functional probe offers a rapid and sensitive approach for detecting TC residues in complex food matrices, demonstrating strong potential for food-safety monitoring. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fluorescent Materials with Excellent Biocompatibility and Their Application in Bio-Sensing, Bio-Imaging (3rd Edition))

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14 pages, 1256 KB

Open AccessArticle

A First Case of Fluorescence Polarization Biosensor-Based Assay for Rapid Monitoring of Protein API Content in Tablet Dosage Forms: Detection of Lysozyme in Tablets

by Svetlana M. Filimonova, Ksenia S. Balyklova, Dmitry O. Zherdev, Sergei A. Eremin, Liliya I. Mukhametova, Vadim B. Krylov and Nikolay E. Nifantiev

Biosensors 2025, 15(11), 724; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15110724 - 1 Nov 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1107

Abstract

Protein-based APIs represent a big group of modern therapeutics. Their characterization involves complex analytical protocols which require special methods, especially in the case when the protein drug is included into tablet dosage forms. Although the fluorescence polarization assay (FPA) is not currently regulated by many national Pharmacopeias, it represents a promising approach for protein drug standardization, considering their rapid, sensitive, and automatable detection suitable for high-throughput analysis and real-time quality control. To evaluate the applicability of FPA for the analysis of protein drugs in tablets, the quantifying of lysozyme in tablet dosage forms was studied by this method with the use of a fluorescently labeled synthetic chitooligosaccharide tracer. It was shown that this approach overcomes the limitations of the conventional turbidimetric assay of lysozyme determination, which is labor-intensive and relies on unstable reagents. Measurements were performed with both portable and stationary fluorescence polarization readers. Commercial tablets from five manufacturers containing lysozyme (20 mg) and pyridoxine hydrochloride (10 mg) together with other excipients were analyzed. The FPIA method showed a linear range of 5.0–70 µg/mL, with specificity confirmed by the absence of interference from excipients. Accuracy, evaluated by standard addition (10–20 mg), yielded recoveries of 100.2–106.0%. Placebo spiked with lysozyme at 80–120% of nominal content demonstrated recoveries of 98.0–100.1%, with RSD (n = 6) not exceeding 13.7%, indicating good precision. The developed method enables reliable lysozyme quantification in tablets, offering speed, simplicity, and robustness, and shows its suitability for the routine quality control of protein-containing dosage forms including the enzyme ones. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fluorescent Materials with Excellent Biocompatibility and Their Application in Bio-Sensing, Bio-Imaging (3rd Edition))

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