title: Self-Assembled Fluorescent Nanoparticles from π-Conjugated Small Molecules: En Route to Biological Applications.
abstract: Since the development of supramolecular chemical biology, self-organised nano-architectures have been widely explored in a variety of biomedical applications. Functionalized synthetic molecules with the ability of non-covalent assembly in an aqueous environment are typically able to interact with biological systems and are therefore especially interesting for their use in theranostics. Nanostructures based on π-conjugated oligomers are particularly promising as theranostic platforms as they bear outstanding photophysical properties as well as drug loading capabilities. This Feature Article provides an overview on the recent advances in the self-assembly of intrinsically fluorescent nanoparticles from π-conjugated small molecules such as fluorene or perylene based chromophores for biomedical applications.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Institute of Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O Box 513, 5600, MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jurgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schill
authors.affiliation: Functional Organic Materials and Devicesand Institute of Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O Box 513, 5600, MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Albertus P H J
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Schenning
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Institute of Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O Box 513, 5600, MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brunsveld
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000737:chemistry; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008823:Micelles; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010569:Perylene / Q000737:chemistry; D011789:Quantum Theory
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D005449:Fluorenes; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008823:Micelles; C041509:fluorene; D010569:Perylene
keywords: biological applications; fluorescence; self-assembly; supramolecular nanoparticles; π-conjugated small molecules