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Localization and Relative Quantification of Carbon Nanotubes in Cells with Multispectral Imaging Flow Cytometry
Published on: December 12, 2013
Development of multicolor carbon nanoparticles for cell imaging.
Huiping Yan1, Mingqian Tan, Demeng Zhang
1School of Food Science & Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China.
Talanta
|April 23, 2013
Summary
Researchers developed multicolor carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) from cellulose and cyclodextrin for cell imaging. These fluorescent probes exhibit excellent photostability and potential for bioimaging applications.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Fluorescent probes are essential tools in cell imaging.
- Carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) offer unique optical properties for bioimaging.
- Developing novel, stable, and efficient fluorescent probes remains a key research area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prepare and characterize multicolor carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) using cellulose and cyclodextrin as carbon sources.
- To evaluate the suitability of these CNPs as fluorescent probes for cell imaging.
- To investigate the optical properties, photostability, and potential applications of the synthesized CNPs.
Main Methods:
- Facile hydrothermal oxidation route for CNP synthesis using cellulose and cyclodextrin.
- Characterization using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for size and morphology.
- Fluorometric analysis for luminescence, excitation-dependent emission, quantum yield, and photostability.
- Testing fluorescence quenching by oxidative metal ions (Hg(II), Cu(II), Fe(III)).
- Application as fluorescent probes for mouse melanoma cells imaging.
Main Results:
- Spherical, well-dispersed CNPs with average diameters of 100 nm (cellulose-CNPs) and 76 nm (cyclodextrin-CNPs) were synthesized.
- CNPs exhibited strong luminescence with excitation-dependent emission and bathochromic properties.
- High fluorescence quantum yields (7.47% for cellulose-CNPs, 4.49% for cyclodextrin-CNPs) and excellent photostability were observed.
- Near-infrared fluorescence was detected, and fluorescence intensity was quenched by specific metal ions.
- Successful application of multicolor CNPs for mouse melanoma cell imaging.
Conclusions:
- Multicolor CNPs derived from cellulose and cyclodextrin are effectively prepared using a simple hydrothermal method.
- These CNPs possess desirable optical properties, including strong fluorescence, good photostability, and NIR emission.
- The synthesized CNPs demonstrate significant potential as fluorescent probes for bioimaging applications.

