Isothiocyanate-polyethylene glycol-folate FITC-PEG-Folate application MW:10,000 Endocytosis Folate receptor

FITC-PEG-Folate is a fluorescently labeled polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified folate derivative. It has multiple applications, mainly for drug delivery and cellular imaging.

A common application is as a drug delivery system, where the drug is conjugated to FITC-PEG-Folate for targeted delivery to cancer cells via folate receptor-mediated endocytosis. Folate receptors are overexpressed on the surface of many cancer cells, so FITC-PEG-Folate can efficiently target these cells and release the drug. This targeted delivery system improves therapeutic efficacy and reduces damage to normal cells.

Another application is cellular imaging. Since FITC-PEG-Folate is fluorescently labeled, it can be used to label cancer cells with overexpression of folate receptors. The expression of folate receptor can be visualized through fluorescence microscopy to further understand the physiological state and pathological changes of the cells.

As an example, FITC-PEG-Folate was used in one study to bind fluorescent dye-labeled anticancer drugs to tumor cells overexpressing folate receptors. Observation by fluorescence microscopy allowed the researchers to quantitatively measure the distribution and release of the drug within the cells and thus assess the effectiveness of the drug delivery system. This study demonstrates the potential application of FITC-PEG-Folate in drug delivery and cellular imaging.

In conclusion, FITC-PEG-Folate as a fluorescently labeled polyethylene glycol-modified folate derivative can be used for drug delivery and cellular imaging to improve therapeutic efficacy and gain insight into cellular physiology.