title: Surface-enhanced Raman scattering-based sensing in vitro: facile and label-free detection of apoptotic cells at the single-cell level.
abstract: Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is well recognized as a powerful analytical tool, enabling ultrahigh sensitive detection of analytes at low concentrations, even down to single-molecule level. Of particular note, in comparison to sufficient investigations on SERS-based detection of biomolecules (e.g., DNA and protein), there has been relatively scanty information regarding in vitro and in vivo detection. In this Article, we demonstrate a kind of SERS-active substrate, i.e., AgNPs-decorated silicon wafer (AgNPs@Si), as a high-performance in vitro sensing platform for single-cell detection of apoptotic cells. The AgNPs@Si yields highly reproducible SERS signals with an enhancement factor of ∼10(7). Remarkably, cellular experiments show that facile, noninvasive, label-free, and sensitive detection of apoptotic cells is readily realized using the high-performance SERS-active platform. Three kinds of apoptotic cells treated with apoptosis inducer are facilely and sensitively detected at the single-cell level, suggesting the exciting potential of AgNPs@Si for SERS-based in vitro analysis and detection.
authors: Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors: Xiangxu
authors: X
authors: Jiang
authors: Ziyun
authors: Z
authors: Jiang
authors: Tingting
authors: T
authors: Xu
authors: Shao
authors: S
authors: Su
authors: Yiling
authors: Y
authors: Zhong
authors: Fei
authors: F
authors: Peng
authors: Yuanyuan
authors: Y
authors: Su
authors: Yao
authors: Y
authors: He
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry; D059010:Single-Cell Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D012834:Silver; D012825:Silicon