title: Nanoscale "fluorescent stone": Luminescent Calcium Fluoride Nanoparticles as Theranostic Platforms.
abstract: Calcium Fluoride (CaF2) based luminescent nanoparticles exhibit unique, outstanding luminescent properties, and represent promising candidates as nanoplatforms for theranostic applications. There is an urgent need to facilitate their further development and applications in diagnostics and therapeutics as a novel class of nanotools. Here, in this critical review, we outlined the recent significant progresses made in CaF2-related nanoparticles: Firstly, their physical chemical properties, synthesis chemistry, and nanostructure fabrication are summarized. Secondly, their applications in deep tissue bio-detection, drug delivery, imaging, cell labeling, and therapy are reviewed. The exploration of CaF2-based luminescent nanoparticles as multifunctional nanoscale carriers for imaging-guided therapy is also presented. Finally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities in the development of such CaF2-based platform for future development in regard to its theranostic applications.
authors.forename: Zhanjun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yuanwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yuchen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Ghida
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: El-Banna
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002124:Calcium Fluoride; D006801:Humans; D049449:Luminescence; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D000068936:Theranostic Nanomedicine / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D002124:Calcium Fluoride
keywords: Calcium Fluoride; luminescent nanoparticles