Ultrasound contrast agents from microbubbles to biogenic gas vesicles
Microbubbles have been the earliest and most widely used ultrasound contrast agents by virtue of their unique features: such as non-toxicity, intravenous injectability, ability to cross the pulmonary capillary bed, and significant enhancement of echo signals for the duration of the examination, resu...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
De Gruyter
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Medical Review |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/mr-2022-0020 |
| _version_ | 1797848675395829760 |
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| author | Zeng Wenlong Yue Xiuli Dai Zhifei |
| author_facet | Zeng Wenlong Yue Xiuli Dai Zhifei |
| author_sort | Zeng Wenlong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microbubbles have been the earliest and most widely used ultrasound contrast agents by virtue of their unique features: such as non-toxicity, intravenous injectability, ability to cross the pulmonary capillary bed, and significant enhancement of echo signals for the duration of the examination, resulting in essential preclinical and clinical applications. The use of microbubbles functionalized with targeting ligands to bind to specific targets in the bloodstream has further enabled ultrasound molecular imaging. Nevertheless, it is very challenging to utilize targeted microbubbles for molecular imaging of extravascular targets due to their size. A series of acoustic nanomaterials have been developed for breaking free from this constraint. Especially, biogenic gas vesicles, gas-filled protein nanostructures from microorganisms, were engineered as the first biomolecular ultrasound contrast agents, opening the door for more direct visualization of cellular and molecular function by ultrasound imaging. The ordered protein shell structure and unique gas filling mechanism of biogenic gas vesicles endow them with excellent stability and attractive acoustic responses. What’s more, their genetic encodability enables them to act as acoustic reporter genes. This article reviews the upgrading progresses of ultrasound contrast agents from microbubbles to biogenic gas vesicles, and the opportunities and challenges for the commercial and clinical translation of the nascent field of biomolecular ultrasound. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:32:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-df60dbc3ebaa4583a9561ff215f7d64d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2749-9642 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:32:24Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | De Gruyter |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medical Review |
| spelling | doaj.art-df60dbc3ebaa4583a9561ff215f7d64d2023-04-11T17:07:17ZengDe GruyterMedical Review2749-96422023-02-0131314810.1515/mr-2022-0020Ultrasound contrast agents from microbubbles to biogenic gas vesiclesZeng Wenlong0Yue Xiuli1Dai Zhifei2Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, ChinaDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, ChinaMicrobubbles have been the earliest and most widely used ultrasound contrast agents by virtue of their unique features: such as non-toxicity, intravenous injectability, ability to cross the pulmonary capillary bed, and significant enhancement of echo signals for the duration of the examination, resulting in essential preclinical and clinical applications. The use of microbubbles functionalized with targeting ligands to bind to specific targets in the bloodstream has further enabled ultrasound molecular imaging. Nevertheless, it is very challenging to utilize targeted microbubbles for molecular imaging of extravascular targets due to their size. A series of acoustic nanomaterials have been developed for breaking free from this constraint. Especially, biogenic gas vesicles, gas-filled protein nanostructures from microorganisms, were engineered as the first biomolecular ultrasound contrast agents, opening the door for more direct visualization of cellular and molecular function by ultrasound imaging. The ordered protein shell structure and unique gas filling mechanism of biogenic gas vesicles endow them with excellent stability and attractive acoustic responses. What’s more, their genetic encodability enables them to act as acoustic reporter genes. This article reviews the upgrading progresses of ultrasound contrast agents from microbubbles to biogenic gas vesicles, and the opportunities and challenges for the commercial and clinical translation of the nascent field of biomolecular ultrasound.https://doi.org/10.1515/mr-2022-0020acoustic nanomaterialsacoustic reporter genesbiogenic gas vesiclesmicrobubblesultrasound contrast agentsultrasound molecular imaging |
| spellingShingle | Zeng Wenlong Yue Xiuli Dai Zhifei Ultrasound contrast agents from microbubbles to biogenic gas vesicles Medical Review acoustic nanomaterials acoustic reporter genes biogenic gas vesicles microbubbles ultrasound contrast agents ultrasound molecular imaging |
| title | Ultrasound contrast agents from microbubbles to biogenic gas vesicles |
| title_full | Ultrasound contrast agents from microbubbles to biogenic gas vesicles |
| title_fullStr | Ultrasound contrast agents from microbubbles to biogenic gas vesicles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ultrasound contrast agents from microbubbles to biogenic gas vesicles |
| title_short | Ultrasound contrast agents from microbubbles to biogenic gas vesicles |
| title_sort | ultrasound contrast agents from microbubbles to biogenic gas vesicles |
| topic | acoustic nanomaterials acoustic reporter genes biogenic gas vesicles microbubbles ultrasound contrast agents ultrasound molecular imaging |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/mr-2022-0020 |
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