title: Ln(3+)-doped hydroxyapatite nanocrystals: controllable synthesis and cell imaging.
abstract: In this paper we report two different doping strategies to prepare a series of novel HAp:Ln(3+) (Ln = Eu or Tb) nanocrystals with tunable aspect ratios via facile hydrothermal synthetic routes. Adopting a one-pot synthetic strategy, with increasing rare-earth doping dosage, the as-prepared nanocrystals have relatively weak fluorescence intensity, and change from nanorods with lengths of about 150 nm into nanowires with lengths of about 2 μm. Using the synthetic pure HAp nanorods as matrices, they are endowed with bright green or red luminescent properties by doping Tb(3+) or Eu(3+) ions via a second hydrothermal process, and simultaneously retain their original morphologies (diameter 8 nm, length 150 nm). The hydrophobic HAp:Ln(3+) nanorods with strong optical properties are converted into hydrophilic particles with a surfactant (Pluronic F127) and successfully applied to live cell imaging.
authors.affiliation: Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Degradable Biomedical Materials, Shaanxi R&D Center of Biomaterials and Fermentation Engineering, School of Chemical and Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, P. R. China. fandaidi@nwu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Meiying
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Junfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Daidi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Haixia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xiaoyong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yaoyu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D017886:Durapatite / Q000737:chemistry*; D005063:Europium / Q000737:chemistry*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry; D053770:Nanowires / Q000737:chemistry; D013725:Terbium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D013725:Terbium; D005063:Europium; D017886:Durapatite