
688 Handbook of Biomedical Optics
to monitor drug delivery and treatment response. It appears that
this particular feature will galvanize the utility of MIA nanopar-
ticles in future biomedical research and nanomedicine.
31.4 Discussion
Molecular optical imaging has evolved from cell microscopy
and the use of vital stains and immunohistochemistry to real-
time imaging of molecular processes in cells and tissues. Central
to these advances is the development of a plethora of molecu-
lar probes for cellular and in vivo studies. Genetically encoded
probes are particularly suitable for monitoring molecular inter-
actions in cells and tissue and