Photonic Shell-Crosslinked Nanoparticle Probes for Optical Imaging and Monitoring.

Lee, Nam S; Sun, Guorong; Neumann, William L; Freskos, John N; Shieh, Jeng J; Dorshow, Richard B; Wooley, Karen L · Adv Mater · 2009

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

A pH-insensitive fluorophore is made to give pH-driven responses through its covalent incorporation within a nanostructure derived from pH-responsive polymers. Fluorophore-shell-crosslinked nanoparticles (SCKs) demonstrate notable enhancement of photophysical properties, in the physiological pH region. Fluorophore-SCKs are designed to swell at higher pH and shrink as the pH is lowered, producing high fluorescence vs. low fluorescence outputs, respectively.