title: Biocompatible near-infrared fluorescent nanoparticles for macro and microscopic in vivo functional bioimaging.
abstract: Near-infrared (NIR) imaging technology has been widely used for biomedical research and applications, since it can achieve deep penetration in biological tissues due to less absorption and scattering of NIR light. In our research, polymer nanoparticles with NIR fluorophores doped were synthesized. The morphology, absorption/emission features and chemical stability of the fluorescent nanoparticles were characterized, separately. NIR fluorescent nanoparticles were then utilized as bright optical probes for macro in vivo imaging of mice, including sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping, as well as distribution and excretion monitoring of nanoparticles in animal body. Furthermore, we applied the NIR fluorescent nanoparticles in in vivo microscopic bioimaging via a confocal microscope. Under the 635 nm-CW excitation, the blood vessel architecture in the ear and the brain of mice, which were administered with nanoparticles, was visualized very clearly. The imaging depth of our one-photon microscopy, which was assisted with NIR fluorescent nanoprobes, can reach as deep as 500 μm. Our experiments show that NIR fluorescent nanoparticles have great potentials in various deep-tissue imaging applications.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentations, Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Zhejiang University; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Sensing Technologies; Joint Research Center of Photonics of the Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden) and Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors.forename: Liliang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentations, Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Zhejiang University; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Sensing Technologies; Joint Research Center of Photonics of the Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden) and Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors.forename: Shaowei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentations, Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Zhejiang University; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Sensing Technologies; Joint Research Center of Photonics of the Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden) and Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors.forename: Kanghui
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.affiliation: Bioelectromagnetics Laboratory, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors.forename: Xinyuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentations, Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Zhejiang University; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Sensing Technologies; Joint Research Center of Photonics of the Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden) and Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qian
keywords: (160.2540) Fluorescent and luminescent materials; (160.4236) Nanomaterials; (170.2655) Functional monitoring and imaging; (170.3880) Medical and biological imaging; (180.1790) Confocal microscopy; (300.6170) Spectra