Shortwave Infrared in Vivo Imaging with Gold Nanoclusters.
Yue ChenDaniel M MontanaHe WeiJose M CorderoMarc SchneiderXavier Le GuévelOu ChenOliver T BrunsMoungi G BawendiPublished in: Nano letters (2017)
The use of visible/NIR-emitting gold nanoclusters (Au NCs), previously proposed for in vivo imaging, has been limited to some extent by low quantum yields (QYs) and the limited penetration of visible light in tissue. Here we report short wavelength infrared (SWIR, λ = 1-2 μm) emitting Au NCs with a good photoluminescence QY for this wavelength range (0.6% to 3.8% for λem = 1000 to 900 nm) and excellent stability under physiological conditions. We show that surface ligand chemistry is critical to achieving these properties. We demonstrate the potential of these SWIR-emitting Au NCs for in vivo imaging in mice. The Au NCs have a hydrodynamic diameter that is small (∼5 nm) enough that they exhibit a rapid renal clearance, and images taken in the SWIR region show better resolution of the blood vessels than in the NIR region.
Keyphrases
- sensitive detection
- quantum dots
- fluorescent probe
- energy transfer
- visible light
- high resolution
- photodynamic therapy
- light emitting
- fluorescence imaging
- reduced graphene oxide
- loop mediated isothermal amplification
- molecular dynamics
- machine learning
- type diabetes
- metabolic syndrome
- mass spectrometry
- silver nanoparticles
- gold nanoparticles
- high fat diet induced
- insulin resistance