Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
Analyst. 2016 Jun 21;141(12):3526-39. doi: 10.1039/c6an00325g. Epub 2016 Apr 7.
Janus particles, named after the two-faced Roman god Janus, have different surface makeups, structures or compartments on two sides. This review highlights recent advances in employing Janus particles as novel analytical tools for live cell imaging and biosensing. Unlike conventional particles used in analytical science, two-faced Janus particles provide asymmetry and directionality, and can combine different or even incompatible properties within a single particle. The broken symmetry enables imaging and quantification of rotational dynamics, revealing information beyond what traditional measurements offer. The spatial segregation of molecules on the surface of a single particle also allows analytical functions that would otherwise interfere with each other to be decoupled, opening up opportunities for novel multimodal analytical methods. We summarize here the development of Janus particles, a few general methods for their fabrication and, more importantly, the emerging and novel applications of Janus particles as multi-functional imaging probes and sensors.
两面神粒子，以罗马两面神 Janus 命名，在其两面具有不同的表面组成、结构或隔室。本文重点介绍了将两面神粒子用作新型活细胞成像和生物传感分析工具的最新进展。与分析科学中使用的传统粒子不同，两面神粒子提供了不对称性和方向性，并且可以在单个粒子内组合不同的甚至不兼容的特性。这种破坏的对称性使得旋转动力学的成像和量化成为可能，揭示了传统测量方法无法提供的信息。单个粒子表面上分子的空间分离也允许分离原本会相互干扰的分析功能，为新型多模态分析方法开辟了机会。我们在这里总结了 Janus 粒子的发展，一些用于其制造的通用方法，以及更重要的是，Janus 粒子作为多功能成像探针和传感器的新兴和新颖应用。
