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Updated: Oct 19, 2025

Preparation, Administration, and Assessment of In Vivo Tissue-Specific Cellular Uptake of Fluorescent Dye-Labeled Liposomes
Published on: July 30, 2020
Applying TADF Emitters in Bioimaging and Sensing-A Novel Approach Using Liposomes for Encapsulation and Cellular
Poppy O Smith1, Dominic J Black1, Robert Pal1
1Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
A new method for facilitating the delivery, uptake and intracellular localisation of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) complexes was developed. First, confinement of TADF complexes in liposomes was demonstrated, which were subsequently used as the delivery vehicle for cellular uptake. Confocal fluorescence microscopy showed TADF complexes subsequently localise in the cytoplasm of HepG2 cells. The procedures developed in this work included the removal of molecular oxygen in the liposome preparation without disrupting the liposome structures. Time-resolved fluorescence microscopy (point scanning) showed initial prompt fluorescence followed by a weak, but detectable, delayed fluorescence component for liposomal TADF internalised in HepG2 cells. By demonstrating that it is possible to deliver un-functionalised and/or unshielded TADF complexes, a sensing function for TADFs, such as molecular oxygen, can be envisaged.

