Tungsten (VI) based "molecular puzzle" photoluminescent nanoparticles easily covered with biocompatible natural...

Multimodal probes, which can be simultaneously visualized by multiple imaging modalities, enable the cellular uptake, intracellular fate, biodistribution and elimination to be tracked in organisms. In this study, we report the synthesis of crystalline WO₃ and CaWO₄ doped with Eu³⁺ or Tb³⁺ nanoparticles (size range of 10-160 nm) coated with polysaccharides, and these nanoparticles constitute a versatile easy-to-construct modular toolbox for multimodal imaging. The particles adsorb significant amounts of polysaccharides from the solution, providing biocompatibility and may serve as a platform for labeling. For WO₃, the sorption is reversible. However, on CaWO₄, stable coating is formed. CaWO₄/Tb³⁺ coated with chemisorbed dextrin, mannan, guar gum and sodium alginate successfully underwent endocytosis with HepG2 cells and was visualized using confocal microscopy.