Highly surface functionalized carbon nano-onions for bright light bioimaging

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Imaging
• Materials Science

Background:

• Carbon-based nanomaterials offer low toxicity and cellular internalization for biological imaging.
• Understanding nanomaterial biological response is crucial for developing effective imaging probes.
• Carbon nano-onions (CNOs) are a class of carbon nanomaterials with potential for biomedical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a fluorescent probe based on surface-functionalized carbon nano-onions (CNOs) for biological imaging.
• To evaluate the in vitro imaging capabilities and cytotoxicity of the functionalized CNOs.
• To assess the potential of CNO-based probes for cellular uptake and localization in specific cell compartments.

Main Methods:

• Surface functionalization of CNOs via chemical oxidation to introduce carboxyl groups.
• Fluorescent labeling of CNOs using fluoresceinamine and amide bond formation.
• Characterization of CNOs' optical properties, water dispersibility, and cellular imaging in HeLa cells.

Main Results:

• Surface modification resulted in extensive functionalization with carboxyl groups, enhancing water dispersibility.
• Fluorescently labeled CNOs exhibited high emission properties.
• In vitro imaging of HeLa cells demonstrated efficient internalization and localization without significant cytotoxicity.

Conclusions:

• Surface-functionalized CNOs serve as an efficient fluorescent probe for in vitro biological imaging.
• The developed CNO-based probe shows high water dispersibility and effective internalization by cancer cells.
• This nanomaterial platform holds promise for advanced biological imaging applications due to its favorable characteristics.