Light-based therapeutic and imaging modalities, which emerge in clinical applications, rely on molecular tools, such as photocleavable protecting groups and photoswitches, that respond to photonic stimulus and translate it into a biological effect. However, optimisation of their key parameters (activation wavelength, band separation, fatigue resistance and half-life) is necessary to enable application in the medical field. In this perspective, we describe the applications scenarios that can be envisioned in clinical practice and then we use those scenarios to explain the necessary properties that the photoresponsive tools used to control biological function should possess, highlighted by examples from medical imaging, drug delivery and photopharmacology. We then present how the (photo)chemical parameters are currently being optimized and an outlook is given on pharmacological aspects (toxicity, solubility, and stability) of light-responsive molecules. With these interdisciplinary insights, we hope to outline future directions for the development of photocontrolled tools that will empower clinical applications of light.

中文翻译：

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用于光在医学中新兴应用的光敏分子工具

在临床应用中出现的基于光的治疗和成像方式依赖于分子工具，例如可光裂解的保护基团和光开关，它们对光子刺激作出反应并将其转化为生物学效应。但是，必须对其关键参数（活化波长，能带分离，抗疲劳性和半衰期）进行优化，以使其能够在医疗领域中得到应用。从这个角度出发，我们描述了可以在临床实践中设想的应用场景，然后使用这些场景来解释用于控制生物学功能的光响应工具应具有的必要特性，并以医学成像，药物输送和光药理学为例进行重点介绍。 。然后，我们介绍当前如何优化（光）化学参数，并对光响应分子的药理学方面（毒性，溶解性和稳定性）给出展望。借助这些跨学科的见解，我们希望概述光控工具开发的未来方向，这些工具将有助于光的临床应用。