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Author Spotlight: Advancing SERS Technology: Au@Carbon Dot Nanoprobes for Label-Free Analysis and Imaging
Published on: June 9, 2023
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Surface charge controlled nucleoli selective staining with nanoscale carbon dots.
Zhijun Zhu1, Qingxuan Li1, Ping Li1,2
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Plos One
|June 1, 2019
Summary
Researchers developed nanoscale carbon dots (CDs) for selective nucleoli imaging. Controlled surface charges on these CDs enable enhanced cell penetration and preferential binding to nucleoli, aiding biological studies and drug discovery.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Cell Biology
- Biomedical Imaging
Background:
- Organelle selective imaging is crucial for understanding cellular processes, drug development, and targeted delivery systems.
- Nanoscale carbon dots (CDs) offer potential for advanced bioimaging due to their unique optical properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the nucleoli targeting capabilities of hydrothermally synthesized nanoscale carbon dots with controlled surface charges.
- To explore the relationship between carbon dot surface charge characteristics and their selective accumulation within cellular nucleoli.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized nanoscale carbon dots (including nanodiamond) using citric acid (CA) and ethylenediamine (EDA) precursors.
- Controlled surface charges of carbon dots by varying the CA:EDA molar ratio, measured in millivolts (mV).
- Performed live-cell imaging using Hoechst and SYTO RNA-select green staining to confirm nucleoli-selective fluorescence contrast.
Main Results:
- Carbon dots exhibited strong fluorescence across a wide excitation range.
- Samples with both negative and positive surface charges demonstrated significant fluorescent contrast with stained nucleoli.
- Surface charge heterogeneity was identified as the key factor for preferential nucleoli binding and enhanced cell/nucleus membrane penetration.
Conclusions:
- Nanoscale carbon dots with controlled surface charge heterogeneity are effective for selective nucleoli imaging in live cells.
- The findings support the use of these engineered carbon dots for advancing biological research and therapeutic applications.
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