A route to brightly fluorescent carbon nanotubes for near-infrared imaging in mice.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
The near-infrared photoluminescence intrinsic to semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes is ideal for biological imaging owing to the low autofluorescence and deep tissue penetration in the near-infrared region beyond 1 microm. However, biocompatible single-walled carbon nanotubes with high quantum yield have been elusive. Here, we show that sonicating single-walled carbon nanotubes with sodium cholate, followed by surfactant exchange to form phospholipid-polyethylene glycol coated nanotubes, produces in vivo imaging agents that are both bright and biocompatible. The exchange procedure is better than directly sonicating the tubes with the phospholipid-polyethylene glycol, because it results in less damage to the nanotubes and improves the quantum yield. We show whole-animal in vivo imaging using an InGaAs camera in the 1-1.7 microm spectral range by detecting the intrinsic near-infrared photoluminescence of the 'exchange' single-walled carbon nanotubes at a low dose (17 mg l(-1) injected dose). The deep tissue penetration and low autofluorescence background allowed high-resolution intravital microscopy imaging of tumour vessels beneath thick skin.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Welsher, K; Liu, Z; Sherlock, SP; Robinson, JT; Chen, Z; Daranciang, D; Dai, H
Published Date
- November 2009
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 4 / 11
Start / End Page
- 773 - 780
PubMed ID
- 19893526
Pubmed Central ID
- 19893526
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1748-3395
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 1748-3387
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1038/nnano.2009.294
Language
- eng