Spectroscopic Approaches to Tracking Metal-based Drugs in Cells and Tissue

Abstract

Metal-based drugs with novel targets and modes of action are increasingly being developed as alternatives to classical platinum(ii) chemotherapeutics. Imaging methods in tumour cells and tissues offer valuable insights into the behaviour of these novel complexes; however, mapping the distribution of metal ions and complexes within cellular environments remains challenging. The advantages and limitations of three modes of imaging: synchrotron radiation-induced X-ray fluorescence, mass spectrometry, and fluorescence microscopy are discussed in this review, with particular emphasis on their use in imaging ruthenium-based drugs.