title: Activatable imaging probes with amplified fluorescent signals.
abstract: Current optical imaging probe applications are hampered by poor sensitivity and specificity to the target, but molecular-level fluorescent signal activation strategies can efficiently overcome these limitations. Recent interdisciplinary research that couples the imaging sciences to fluorophore, peptide, polymer, and inorganic-based chemistry has generated novel imaging probes that exhibit high sensitivity and low background noise in both in vitro and in vivo applications. This feature article introduces and discusses the various approaches described by the term "fluorescent signal activation methods" with respect to their unique imaging probe design strategies and applications.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 39-1 Hawolgok-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 136-791, Korea. ikwon@kist.re.kr
authors.forename: Seulki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyeongsoon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kwangmeyung
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kuiwon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Ick Chan
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D015335:Molecular Probes / Q000737:chemistry; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D045663:Quantum Dots
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D015335:Molecular Probes; D010455:Peptides; D011108:Polymers