title: Multilayered polyelectrolyte-coated gold nanorods as multifunctional optical contrast agents for cancer cell imaging.
abstract: We report the application of multilayered polyelectrolyte-coated gold nanorods (GNRs) as multifunctional optical contrast agents for cancer cell imaging. The surface modification of GNRs improves their chemical stability and facilitates them to be taken up by cancer cells through electrostatic interaction. The unique longitudinal surface plasmon resonance property of GNRs makes them suitable as both "scattering contrast agents" and "Raman contrast agents". In our experiments, the staining of GNRs in cells was further confirmed by dark field microscopy and Raman microscopy. Our experiment results indicated that GNRs have great potential as multifunctional "optical contrast agents" for future in vivo animal imaging.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentation, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors.forename: Li-li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Ya-lun
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Sailing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006046:Gold; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D003287:Contrast Media; D004573:Electrolytes; D006046:Gold