title: Europium-doped bioapatite: a new photostable biological probe, internalizable by human cells.
abstract: The authors prepared at low temperatures (37 degrees C) a novel inorganic bioprobe. It consisted of mineral nanoparticles of apatitic tricalcium phosphate doped with europium, of size, structure and composition close to those of the mineral part of calcified tissues. In contrast to organic probes which degrade rapidly (photobleaching), the red luminescence of the new probe is photostable. Moreover, this luminescence can be obtained under visible irradiation, which makes it suitable for prolonged examination of live cells. Human pancreatic epithelial cells in culture were incubated with these particles and their internalization was observed by laser scanning confocal microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy and electron microdiffraction analysis confirmed that the particles were internalized retaining their original apatitic structure. This probe may thus be of value for biovectorization.
authors.affiliation: CIRIMAT UMR CNRS 5085, Physico-Chimie des Phosphates, ENSIACET-INPT, National Polytechnical Institute of Toulouse, 118 Route de Narbonne, France. anne.doat@ensiacet.fr
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doat
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fanjul
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pellé
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hollande
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lebugle
mesh_terms: D001031:Apatites / Q000737:chemistry*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005063:Europium / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010179:Pancreas / Q000166:cytology; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013696:Temperature; D014965:X-Rays
chemical_list: D001031:Apatites; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; C485828:alpha-tricalcium phosphate; C485817:beta-tricalcium phosphate; C485830:tetracalcium phosphate; D005063:Europium; C485838:calcium phosphate, monobasic, anhydrous; C020243:calcium phosphate; C018392:tricalcium phosphate; C485829:calcium phosphate, dibasic, anhydrous