Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 28, 2026
07:05
Visualization of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Mesenteric Venules After Mesenteric Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury via Intravital Microscopy
Published on: September 27, 2024
879
Atomic Precise Au18 Clusters for NIR-II Accurate Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion 3D Visualization.
Zhenhua Li1, Zili Zhang2, Siyu Ao3
1Department of Physics and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials Physics and Preparing Technology, School of Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
Advanced Healthcare Materials
|January 27, 2026
Summary
Atomically precise gold clusters offer enhanced second near-infrared (NIR-II) bioimaging. Doping gold clusters with zinc (Au17Zn1) significantly boosts fluorescence and stability for visualizing liver injury in mice.
Area of Science:
- Nanomaterials Science
- Biomedical Imaging
- Quantum Chemistry
Background:
- Conventional fluorescence imaging faces limitations in tissue penetration and signal-to-noise ratio due to scattering and autofluorescence.
- The second near-infrared (NIR-II) window (1000-3000 nm) provides deeper tissue penetration and improved signal quality.
- Atomically precise gold clusters are emerging as promising probes for enhanced NIR-II emission due to their tunable structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer controllable gold clusters for advanced NIR-II bioimaging applications.
- To investigate the impact of single zinc atom doping on the optical properties and stability of Au18 clusters.
- To evaluate the potential of the developed probe for visualizing hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI).
Main Methods:
- Synthesis and characterization of atomically precise gold clusters (Au18).
- Doping of Au18 clusters with a single zinc atom to form Au17Zn1 clusters.
- Evaluation of optical properties (fluorescence enhancement, photostability) and biocompatibility.
- In vivo bioimaging of liver tissue in mice with HIRI using light-sheet microscopy (LSM).
Main Results:
- Au17Zn1 clusters demonstrated a 4.1-fold enhancement in NIR-II fluorescence compared to undoped clusters.
- Zinc doping optimized optical properties, improving brightness and photostability while maintaining excellent biological safety.
- 3D LSM imaging clearly delineated vascular changes (120-300 µm dilation) in HIRI mouse models, visualizing injury progression.
Conclusions:
- Zn-doped Au17Zn1 clusters represent a highly efficient and stable NIR-II fluorescent probe.
- The developed probe shows significant potential for sensitive and high-resolution visualization of liver injury.
- Au17Zn1 offers a promising tool for the assessment and study of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.
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