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PubMed2026

From Static to Dynamic: Fluorescence Imaging Technology Advances Precise Embryo Evaluation.

Live-cell imaging technology has revolutionized our understanding of preimplantation embryonic development, shifting the field from static morphological descriptions to dynamic functional analyses. This has tremendously advanced the fields of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryonic development. At the heart of this transition lies the strategic application of fluorescent probes, which provide the requisite sensitivity and specificity to resolve complex biological events. This review provides a comprehensive overview of fluorescent probe-based strategies designed to address four cardinal questions in peri-implantation embryology: genomic stability, cell fate determination, tissue morphogenesis, and embryo-maternal interactions. We systematically evaluate the chemical design principles and imaging modalities of various probes, which range from small-molecule organic fluorophores to genetically encoded reporters and nanoparticle-based sensors. Furthermore, we discuss how these tools facilitate the real-time visualization of chromosomal aberrations, lineage segregation, biomechanical forces, and enzymatic activities within the delicate embryonic microenvironment. This review summarizes methodological strategies for selecting and developing optimal probes across diverse application contexts. By identifying current technical bottlenecks and proposing future directions, such as NIR-II imaging and noninvasive labeling, it aims to drive the translation of basic embryonic research into advanced reproductive medicine.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Impaired natural killer cell maturation in lung adenocarcinoma driven by FABP4 and SPON2 downregulation through disrupted lipid metabolism.

BACKGROUND: Although natural killer (NK) cells play a crucial role in antitumor immunity, the metabolic changes driving their dysfunction in lung adenocarcinoma remain poorly understood. This study investigates how these metabolic modifications impact NK cell function within the lung adenocarcinoma microenvironment. METHODS: A total of 13 pairs of lung adenocarcinoma samples were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Differential gene expression, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment, and single-cell metabolic quantification analyses were used to characterize the transcriptomic, pathway, and metabolic signatures of NK cells. The developmental trajectory was reconstructed via pseudotime analysis. The fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) and spondin2 (SPON2) expression was examined using immunofluorescence (IF) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. In NK cells with FABP4 downregulation, FABP4 function was analyzed using antibody-independent cell-mediated cytotoxicity assays, flow cytometry (FCM), and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The number of NK cells was significantly decreased in the lung adenocarcinoma microenvironment. FABP4 and SPON2 expression was significantly lower in NK cells within tumor tissues than in the adjacent tissues. FABP4 expression was significantly lower in tumor tissues than in the adjacent tissues, whereas no significant difference in SPON2 expression was observed. The cytotoxic function of NK cells with decreased FABP4 levels was impaired. Non-targeted lipid metabolism analysis indicated that differentially expressed lipids in NK cells with low FABP4 levels were functionally enriched in the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway compared to those in normal NK cells. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings present new evidence showing that low FABP4 and SPON2 gene expression may impair NK cell maturity by affecting lipid metabolism in lung adenocarcinoma. These results provide a new perspective on restoring immune function in patients with lung cancer.

FABP4↗