title: Design Rules for Membrane-Embedded Voltage-Sensing Nanoparticles.
abstract: Voltage-sensing dyes and voltage-sensing fluorescence proteins have been continually improved and as a result have provided a wealth of insights into neuronal circuits. Further improvements in voltage-sensing dyes and voltage-sensing fluorescence proteins are needed, however, for routine detection of single action potentials across a large number of individual neurons in a large field-of-view of a live mammalian brain. On the other hand, recent experiments and calculations suggest that semiconducting nanoparticles could act as efficient voltage sensors, suitable for the above-mentioned task. This study presents quantum mechanical calculations, including Auger recombination rates, of the quantum-confined Stark effect in membrane-embedded semiconducting nanoparticles, examines their possible utility as membrane voltage sensors, and provide design rules for their structure and composition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Kyoungwon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Department of Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; California NanoSystems Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. Electronic address: sweiss@chem.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Shimon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D053758:Nanoparticles; D011789:Quantum Theory
chemical_list: D008164:Luminescent Proteins