The mechanism combines small molecules that serve as a fluorescent probe with larger, antibody molecules that are captured by cancer cells. This enables the color that is emitted by the probe to be changed through the use of different probe molecules. Since the fluorescence occurs by combining the probe with an antibody, this method can be broadly applied to various kinds of cancer cells by targeting antibodies specific for each type of cancer.
This technique focuses on the workings of lysosomes, which are organelles within the cell. When cancer develops, the body produces antibodies that are captured by the lysosomes inside cancerous cells. The cancer cells can thus be made to fluoresce by combining fluorescent organic molecules with the antibodies.
Lysosomes are mildly acidic, unlike their surroundings within the cell, and the fluorescent probe in this technique uses substances that fluoresce only in mildly acidic environments. The fluorescent probe begins to emit light only when taken up by a lysosome, enabling the location of cancer cells to be accurately determined.
Fluorescence in Live Cancer Cells Only
