Fluorescence-Based Nano-Oxygen Particles for Spatiometric Monitoring of Cell Physiological Conditions.

Closed-loop artificial pancreas systems have recently been proposed as a solution for treating stage I diabetes by reproducing the function of the pancreas. However, there are many unresolved issues associated with their development, including monitoring and controlling oxygen, immune responses, and the optimization of glucose, all of which need to be monitored and controlled to produce an efficient and viable artificial organ that can become integrated in the patient and maintain homeostasis. This research focused on monitoring the oxygen concentration, specifically achieving this kinetically as the oxygen gradient in an artificial pancreas made of alginate spheres containing islet cells. Functional nanoparticles (NPs) for measuring the oxygen gradient in different hydrogel cellular environments using fluorescence-based (F) microscopy were developed and tested. By the ester bond, a linker Pluronic F127 was conjugated with a carboxylic acid-modified polystyrene NP (510 nm). A hydrophilic/hydrophobic inter...