Fluorescent Polymeric Nano-Thermometer for 3D Temperature Distribution and Dynamic Monitoring of Chimeric Tumor Microenvironment

In this study, custom-designed biocompatible Fluorescent Polymeric Nano Thermometers (FPNTs), are capable of operating with a wide temperature sensing range (25 to 100 °C) and are stable in pH, ionic strength, and oxidative stress. The FPNTs (180±17 nm) with persistent fluorescence are composed of temperature-sensitive rhodamine B (Rh-B) fluorophore and F-127 polymer which was conjugated and cross-linked with Urea-Paraformaldehyde resins using sol–gel method which were utilized to monitor the temperature gradient in co-cultured 3D tumor spheroids and the temperature difference between the core to the periphery was 2.9 °C.