A novel fluorescent retrograde neural tracer: cholera toxin B conjugated carbon dots.
The retrograde neuroanatomical tracing method is a key technique to study the complex interconnections of the nervous system. Traditional tracers have several drawbacks, including time-consuming immunohistochemical or immunofluorescent staining procedures, rapid fluorescence quenching and low fluorescence intensity. Carbon dots (CDs) have been widely used as a fluorescent bio-probe due to their ultrasmall size, excellent optical properties, chemical stability, biocompatibility and low toxicity. Herein, we develop a novel fluorescent neural tracer: cholera toxin B-carbon dot conjugates (CTB-CDs). It can be taken up and retrogradely transported by neurons in the peripheral nervous system of rats. Our results show that CTB-CDs possess high photoluminescence intensity, good optical stability, a long shelf-life and non-toxicity. Tracing with CTB-CDs is a direct and more economical way of performing retrograde labelling experiments. Therefore, CTB-CDs are reliable fluorescent retrograde tracers.
Department of Hand Surgery, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Tissue Repair, Reconstruction and Regeneration, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China. lulaijin@hotmail.com.
Nan
N
Zhou
Zeyu
Z
Hao
Xiaohuan
X
Zhao
Suraj
S
Maharjan
Shoujun
S
Zhu
Yubin
Y
Song
Bai
B
Yang
Laijin
L
Lu
D000818:Animals; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D016716:PC12 Cells; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D002772:Cholera Toxin