title: SERS-based plasmonic nanobiosensing in single living cells.
abstract: In this paper, we describe the development and application of a pH-sensitive plasmonics-active fiber-optic nanoprobe suitable for intracellular bioanalysis in single living human cells using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection. The effectiveness and usefulness of SERS-based fiber-optic nanoprobes are illustrated by measurements of intracellular pH in HMEC-15/hTERT immortalized "normal" human mammary epithelial cells and PC-3 human prostate cancer cells. The results indicate that fiber-optic nanoprobe insertion and interrogation provide a sensitive and selective means to monitor cellular microenvironments at the single cell level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, 136 Hudson Hall, P. O. Box 90281, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Scaffidi
authors.forename: Molly K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Gregas
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Seewaldt
authors.forename: Tuan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vo-Dinh
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D002138:Calibration; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D036103:Nanotechnology