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Updated: Jan 22, 2026
09:11
Synthesis of Near-Infrared Emitting Gold Nanoclusters for Biological Applications
Published on: March 22, 2020
8.4K
Viscosity-sensitive thiolated gold nanoclusters with diffusion-controlled emission for intracellular viscosity
Saifei Pan1, Jin Zhou2, Weidong Liu1
1Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, People's Republic of China. fenghui@zjnu.cn.
The Analyst
|July 5, 2019
Summary
Researchers discovered a unique diffusion-dependent emission from gold nanoclusters, controllable by viscosity and temperature. This property enables real-time monitoring of abnormal viscosity changes within live cells.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Biophysics
- Chemical Biology
Background:
- Gold nanoclusters exhibit unique optical properties.
- Luminescent properties of nanomaterials are sensitive to their microenvironment.
- Monitoring cellular viscosity is crucial for understanding cell function and disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the diffusion-dependent emission of gold nanoclusters.
- To explore the regulation of this phenomenon by viscosity and temperature.
- To develop gold nanoclusters as probes for real-time viscosity monitoring in live cells.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis and characterization of gold nanoclusters.
- Spectroscopic analysis of emission properties under varying viscosity and temperature.
- In vitro and live-cell imaging experiments to assess viscosity changes.
Main Results:
- A novel diffusion-dependent emission phenomenon in gold nanoclusters was identified.
- The emission intensity and wavelength of gold nanoclusters were found to be tunable by environmental viscosity and temperature.
- Successful real-time monitoring of intracellular viscosity fluctuations using gold nanoclusters was demonstrated.
Conclusions:
- Gold nanoclusters possess a unique, environmentally sensitive emission property.
- This property can be harnessed for precise, real-time viscosity sensing in biological systems.
- Gold nanoclusters show significant potential as advanced tools for live-cell imaging and diagnostics.
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