Special Report

Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

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Ying Chen

Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

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Ji Young Lee

Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

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Lingxiao Zhang

Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

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Fangyuan Li

**Author for correspondence:

E-mail Address: lfy@zju.edu.cn

Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

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Daishun Ling

*Author for correspondence:

E-mail Address: lingds@zju.edu.cn

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9977-0237

Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of the Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

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Published Online:30 Nov 2020https://doi.org/10.2217/nnm-2020-0320

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Abstract

Ion activities are tightly associated with brain physiology, such as intracranial cell membrane potential, neural activity and neuropathology. Thus, monitoring the ion levels in the brain is of great significance in neuroscience research. Recently, nanosensors have emerged as powerful tools for monitoring brain ion levels and dynamics. With controllable structures and functions, nanosensors have been intensively used for monitoring neural activity and cell function and can be used in disease diagnosis. Here, we summarize the recent advances in the design and application of ion level nanosensors at different physiological levels, aiming to draw a connection of the interrelated intracranial ion activities. Furthermore, perspectives on the rationally designed ion level nanosensors in understanding the brain functions are highlighted.

Keywords:

Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest

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Vol. 15, No. 29

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History

Received 9 August 2020

Accepted 12 October 2020

Published online 30 November 2020

Published in print December 2020

Information

Keywords

Author contributions

M Wei, P Lin, Y Chen, JY Lee and L Zhang reviewed literature, wrote text and created figures together. F Li and D Ling supervised; M Wei, P Lin, Y Chen, JY Lee and L Zhang and revised the manuscript.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work is supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFA0203600), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31822019, 32071374, 51703195, and 91859116), One Belt and One Road International Cooperation Project from Key Research and Development Program of Zhejiang Province (2019C04024), the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation (LGF19C100002), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2019XZZX004-15, 2020FZZX001-05). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

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Applications of ion level nanosensors for neuroscience research

Abstract

References