TY - JOUR A1 - Auxillos, J. A1 - Crouigneau, R. A1 - Li, Y.-F. A1 - Dai, Y. A1 - Stigliani, A. A1 - Tavernaro, Isabella A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Sandelin, A. A1 - Marie, R. A1 - Pedersen, S. F. T1 - Spatially resolved analysis of microenvironmental gradient impact on cancer cell phenotypes N2 - Despite the physiological and pathophysiological significance of microenvironmental gradients, e.g., for diseases such as cancer, tools for generating such gradients and analyzing their impact are lacking. Here, we present an integrated microfluidic-based workflow that mimics extracellular pH gradients characteristic of solid tumors while enabling high-resolution live imaging of, e.g., cell motility and chemotaxis, and preserving the capacity to capture the spatial transcriptome. Our microfluidic device generates a pH gradient that can be rapidly controlled to mimic spatiotemporal microenvironmental changes over cancer cells embedded in a 3D matrix. The device can be reopened allowing immunofluorescence analysis of selected phenotypes, as well as the transfer of cells and matrix to a Visium slide for spatially resolved analysis of transcriptional changes across the pH gradient. This workflow is easily adaptable to other gradients and multiple cell types and can therefore prove invaluable for integrated analysis of roles of microenvironmental gradients in biology. KW - Bioimaging KW - Fluorescence KW - Cell KW - Cancer KW - Method KW - Microfluids KW - Model KW - Calibration KW - Sensor KW - Ph KW - Probe KW - Workflow PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-604631 DO - https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adn3448 VL - 19 IS - 18 SP - 1 EP - 17 AN - OPUS4-60463 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Scholtz, Lena A1 - Eckert, J. G. A1 - Graf, Rebecca T. A1 - Kunst, A. A1 - Wegner, Karl David A1 - Bigall, N. C. A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Correlating semiconductor nanoparticle architecture and applicability for the controlled encoding of luminescent polymer microparticles N2 - Luminophore stained micro- and nanobeads made from organic polymers like polystyrene (PS) are broadly used in the life and material sciences as luminescent reporters, for bead-based assays, sensor arrays, printable barcodes, security inks, and the calibration of fluorescence microscopes and flow cytometers. Initially mostly prepared with organic dyes, meanwhile luminescent core/shell nanoparticles (NPs) like spherical semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are increasingly employed for bead encoding. This is related to their narrower emission spectra, tuneability of emission color, broad wavelength excitability, and better photostability. However, correlations between particle architecture, morphology, and photoluminescence (PL) of the luminescent nanocrystals used for encoding and the optical properties of the NP-stained beads have been rarely explored. This encouraged us to perform a screening study on the incorporation of different types of luminescent core/shell semiconductor nanocrystals into polymer microparticles (PMPs) by a radical-induced polymerization reaction. Nanocrystals explored include CdSe/CdS QDs of varying CdS shell thickness, a CdSe/ZnS core/shell QD, CdSe/CdS quantum rods (QRs), and CdSe/CdS nanoplatelets (NPLs). Thereby, we focused on the applicability of these NPs for the polymerization synthesis approach used and quantified the preservation of the initial NP luminescence. The spectroscopic characterization of the resulting PMPs revealed the successful staining of the PMPs with luminescent CdSe/CdS QDs and CdSe/CdS NPLs. In contrast, usage of CdSe/CdS QRs and CdSe QDs with a ZnS shell did not yield luminescent PMPs. The results of this study provide new insights into structure–property relationships between NP stained PMPs and the initial luminescent NPs applied for staining and underline the importance of such studies for the performance optimization of NP-stained beads. KW - Quantitative spectroscopy KW - Energy transfer KW - Synthesis KW - Surface chemistry KW - Semiconductor quantum dot KW - Luminescence KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - Quantum yield KW - Lifetime KW - Quality assurance KW - Polymer particle KW - Quantum rod KW - Nanoplatelet PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-602206 DO - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-62591-1 VL - 14 SP - 1 EP - 16 AN - OPUS4-60220 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Reiber, T. A1 - Hübner, Oskar A1 - Dose, C. A1 - Yushchenko, D. A. A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Fluorophore multimerization on a PEG backbone as a concept for signal amplification and lifetime modulation N2 - Fluorescent labels have strongly contributed to many advancements in bioanalysis, molecular biology, molecular imaging, and medical diagnostics. Despite a large toolbox of molecular and nanoscale fluorophores to choose from, there is still a need for brighter labels, e.g., for flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy, that are preferably of molecular nature. This requires versatile concepts for fluorophore multimerization, which involves the shielding of dyes from other chromophores and possible quenchers in their neighborhood. In addition, to increase the number of readout parameters for fluorescence microscopy and eventually also flow cytometry, control and tuning of the labels’ fluorescence lifetimes is desired. Searching for bright multi-chromophoric or multimeric labels, we developed PEGylated dyes bearing functional groups for their bioconjugation and explored their spectroscopic properties and photostability in comparison to those of the respective monomeric dyes for two exemplarily chosen fluorophores excitable at 488 nm. Subsequently, these dyes were conjugated with anti-CD4 and anti-CD8 immunoglobulins to obtain fluorescent conjugates suitable for the labeling of cells and beads. Finally, the suitability of these novel labels for fluorescence lifetime imaging and target discrimination based upon lifetime measurements was assessed. Based upon the results of our spectroscopic studies including measurements of fluorescence quantum yields (QY) and fluorescence decay kinetics we could demonstrate the absence of significant dye-dye interactions and self-quenching in these multimeric labels. Moreover, in a first fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) study, we could show the future potential of this multimerization concept for lifetime discrimination and multiplexing. KW - Imaging KW - Quantum yield KW - Quality assurance KW - Antibody KW - Conjugate KW - Cell KW - FLIM KW - PEG KW - Flow cytometry KW - Lifetime KW - Energy transfer KW - Quantitative spectroscopy KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - Fluorescence KW - Dye KW - Amplification KW - Microscopy PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-602197 DO - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-62548-4 VL - 14 IS - 1 SP - 1 EP - 11 AN - OPUS4-60219 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - López-Iglesias, C. A1 - Markovina, A. A1 - Nirmalananthan-Budau, N. A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Klinger, D. T1 - Optically monitoring the microenvironment of a hydrophobic cargo in amphiphilic nanogels: influence of network composition on loading and release N2 - Amphiphilic nanogels (ANGs) are promising carriers for hydrophobic cargos such as drugs, dyes, and catalysts. Loading content and release kinetics of these compounds are controlled by type and number of hydrophobic groups in the amphiphilic copolymer network. Thus, understanding the interactions between cargo and colloidal carrier is mandatory for a tailor-made and cargo-specific ANG design. To systematically explore the influence of the network composition on these interactions, we prepared a set of ANGs of different amphiphilicity and loaded these ANGs with varying concentrations of the solvatochromic dye Nile Red (NR). Here, NR acts as a hydrophobic model cargo to optically probe the polarity of its microenvironment. Analysis of the NR emission spectra as well as measurements of the fluorescence quantum yields and decay kinetics revealed a decrease in the polarity of the NR microenvironment with increasing hydrophobicity of the hydrophobic groups in the ANG network and dye–dye interactions at higher loading concentrations. At low NR concentrations, the hydrophobic cargo NR is encapsulated in the hydrophobic domains. Increasing NR concentrations resulted in probe molecules located in a more hydrophilic environment, i.e., at the nanodomain border, and favored dye–dye interactions and NR aggregation. These results correlate well with release experiments, indicating first NR release from more hydrophilic network locations. Overall, our findings demonstrate the importance to understand carrier–drug interactions for efficient loading and controlled release profiles in amphiphilic nanogels. KW - Particle KW - Energy transfer KW - Limit of detection KW - Polymer KW - Luminescence KW - Quantitative spectroscopy KW - Nano KW - Quantum yield KW - Lifetime KW - Quality assurance KW - Dye KW - Probe KW - Sensor KW - Nile Red PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-601603 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/d4nr00051j SN - 2040-3364 IS - 16 SP - 9525 EP - 9535 PB - The Royal Society of Chemistry AN - OPUS4-60160 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fiedler, Saskia A1 - Frenzel, Florian A1 - Würth, Christian A1 - Tavernaro, Isabella A1 - Grüne, M. A1 - Schweizer, S. A1 - Engel, A. A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Interlaboratory Comparison on Absolute Photoluminescence Quantum Yield Measurements of Solid Light Converting Phosphors with Three Commercial Integrating Sphere Setups N2 - Scattering luminescent materials dispersed in liquid and solid matrices and luminescent powders are increasingly relevant for fundamental research and industry. Examples are luminescent nano- and microparticles and phosphors of different compositions in various matrices or incorporated into ceramics with applications in energy conversion, solid-state lighting, medical diagnostics, and security barcoding. The key parameter to characterize the performance of these materials is the photoluminescence/fluorescence quantum yield (Φf), i.e., the number of emitted photons per number of absorbed photons. To identify and quantify the sources of uncertainty of absolute measurements of Φf of scattering samples, the first interlaboratory comparison (ILC) of three laboratories from academia and industry was performed by following identical measurement protocols. Thereby, two types ofcommercial stand-alone integrating sphere setups with different illumination and detection geometries were utilized for measuring the Φf of transparent and scattering dye solutions and solid phosphors, namely, YAG:Ce optoceramics of varying surface roughness, used as converter materials for blue light emitting diodes. Special emphasis was dedicated to the influence of the measurement geometry, the optical properties of the blank utilized to determine the number of photons of the incident excitation light absorbed by the sample, and the sample-specific surface roughness. While the Φf values of the liquid samples matched between instruments, Φf measurements of the optoceramics with different blanks revealed substantial differences. The ILC results underline the importance of the measurement geometry, sample position, and blank for reliable Φf data of scattering the YAG:Ce optoceramics, with the blank’s optical properties accounting for uncertainties exceeding 20%. KW - Nano KW - Fluorescence KW - Reference material KW - Luminescence KW - Quantitative spectroscopy KW - Particle KW - Quantum yield KW - Quality assurance KW - Phosphor KW - Converter material KW - Lifetime KW - Interlaboratory comparison KW - Method KW - Uncertainty PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-600945 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.4c00372 SN - 0003-2700 SP - 6730 EP - 6737 PB - ACS Publications AN - OPUS4-60094 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Geißler, Daniel A1 - Wegner, Karl David A1 - Fischer, C. A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Exploring Simple Particle-Based Signal Amplification Strategies in a Heterogeneous Sandwich Immunoassay with Optical Detection N2 - Heterogeneous sandwich immunoassays are widely used for biomarker detection in bioanalysis and medical diagnostics. The high analyte sensitivity of the current “gold standard” enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) originates from the signal-generating enzymatic amplification step, yielding a high number of optically detectable reporter molecules. For future point-of-care testing (POCT) and point-of-need applications, there is an increasing interest in more simple detection strategies that circumvent time-consuming and temperature-dependent enzymatic reactions. A common concept to aim for detection limits comparable to those of enzymatic amplification reactions is the usage of polymer nanoparticles (NP) stained with a large number of chromophores. We explored different simple NP-based signal amplification strategies for heterogeneous sandwich immunoassays that rely on an extraction-triggered release step of different types of optically detectable reporters. Therefore, streptavidinfunctionalized polystyrene particles (PSP) are utilized as carriers for (i) the fluorescent dye coumarin 153 (C153) and (ii) hemin (hem) molecules catalyzing the luminol reaction enabling chemiluminescence (CL) detection. Additionally, (iii) NP labeling with hemin-based microperoxidase MP11 was assessed. For each amplification approach, the PSP was first systematically optimized regarding size, loading concentration, and surface chemistry. Then, for an immunoassay for the inflammation marker C- eactive protein (CRP), the analyte sensitivity achievable with optimized PSP ystems was compared with the established ELISA concept for photometric and CL detection. Careful optimization led to a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.1 ng/mL for MP11-labeled PSP and CL detection, performing similarly well to a photometric ELISA (0.13 ng/mL), which demonstrates the huge potential of our novel assay concept. KW - Nanoparticle KW - Fluorescence KW - Immunoassay KW - Quality assurance KW - Antibody KW - Polymer KW - Dye KW - Signal enhancement KW - CRP KW - Biosensing PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-597853 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.3c03691 SN - 1520-6882 VL - 96 IS - 13 SP - 5078 EP - 5085 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Columbus, Ohio AN - OPUS4-59785 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wegner, Karl David A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - The 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: Quantum dots N2 - The 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Aleksey I. Ekimov (prize share 1/3), Louis E. Brus (prize share 1/3), and Moungi G. Bawendi (prize share 1/3) for groundbreaking inventions in the field of nanotechnology, i.e., for the discovery and synthesis of semiconductor nanocrystals, also termed quantum dots, that exhibit size-dependent physicochemical properties enabled by quantum size effects. This feature article summarizes the main milestones of the discoveries and developments of quantum dots that paved the road to their versatile applications in solid-state lighting, display technology, energy conversion, medical diagnostics, bioimaging, and image-guided surgery. KW - Quantum dots KW - Semiconductor nanocrystals KW - Luminescence KW - Quantitative spectroscopy KW - Quantum yield KW - Advanced nanomaterials KW - Quality assurance KW - Energy transfer PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-597843 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-024-05225-9 VL - 2024 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Springer CY - Cham AN - OPUS4-59784 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Labrador-Paez, Lucia, L. A1 - Kankare, J. A1 - Hyppanen, I. A1 - Soukka, T. A1 - Andresen, Elina A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Widengren, J A1 - Liu, H. T1 - Frequency-Domain Method for Characterization of Upconversion Luminescence Kinetics N2 - The frequency-domain (FD) method provides an alternative to the commonly used time-domain (TD) approach in characterizing the luminescence kinetics of luminophores, with its own strengths, e.g., the capability to decouple multiple lifetime components with higher reliability and accuracy. While extensively explored for characterizing luminophores with down-shifted emission, this method has not been investigated for studying nonlinear luminescent materials such as lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), featuring more complicated kinetics. In this work, employing a simplified rate-equation model representing a standard two-photon energy-transfer upconversion process, we thoroughly analyzed the response of the luminescence of UCNPs in the FD method. We found that the FD method can potentially obtain from a single experiment the effective decay rates of three critical energy states of the sensitizer/activator ions involved in the upconversion process. The validity of the FD method is demonstrated by experimental data, agreeing reasonably well with the results obtained by TD methods. KW - Quality assurance KW - Luminescence KW - Method KW - Quantitative spectroscopy KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - Lifetime KW - Method development PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-597435 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c00269 SP - 3436 EP - 3444 AN - OPUS4-59743 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Potopnyk, M. A1 - Mech-Piskorz, J. A1 - Angulo, G. A1 - Ceborska, M. A1 - Luboradzki, R. A1 - Andresen, Elina A1 - Gajek, A. A1 - Wisniewska, A. A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Aggregation/Crystallization-Induced Emission in Naphthyridine-Based Carbazolyl-Modified Donor-Acceptor Boron Dyes Tunable by Fluorine Atoms N2 - Four donor-acceptor boron difluoride complexes based on the carbazole electron donor and the [1,3,5,2]oxadiazaborinino[3,4-a][1,8]naphthyridine acceptor were designed, synthesized, and systematically spectroscopically investigated in solutions, in the solid states, and dye-doped polymer films. The dyes exhibit an intense blue to red solid-state emission with photoluminescence quantum yields of up to 56% in pure dye samples and 86% in poly(methyl methacrylate) films. All boron complexes show aggregation-induced emission and reversible mechanofluorochromism. The optical properties of these dyes and their solid state luminescence can be tuned by substitution pattern, i.e., the substituents at the naphthyridine unit. Exchange of CH3- for CF3-groups does not only increase the intramolecular charge transfer character, but also provides a crystallization-induced emission enhancement. KW - Spectroscopy KW - Dye KW - Luminescence KW - Sensor KW - Fluorescence KW - Quantum yield KW - Lifetime KW - Quality assurance KW - Synthesis PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-597426 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202400004 SN - 0947-6539 SP - 1 EP - 12 PB - Wiley VHC-Verlag AN - OPUS4-59742 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mohammad, W. A1 - Wegner, Karl David A1 - Comby-Zerbino, C. A1 - Trouillet, V. A1 - Ogayer, M. P. A1 - Coll, J.-L. A1 - Marin, R. A1 - Jaque Garcia, D. A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Antoine, R. A1 - Le Guevel, X. T1 - Enhanced brightness of ultra-small gold nanoparticles in the second biological window through thiol ligand shell control N2 - Gold-based nanoparticles below 2 nm in size are promising as luminescent probes for in vivo bioimaging, owing to their brightness and rapid renal clearance. However, their use as contrast agents in the near-infrared II (NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm) range remains challenging due to their low photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield. To address this, PL enhancement can be achieved by either rigidifying the ligand-shell structure or increasing the size of the ligand shell. In this study, we synthesized ultra-small gold nanoparticles stabilized by co-ligands, namely monothiol and short dithiol molecules. By precisely controlling the amount of reducing agent used during particle preparation, we successfully modulated the physicochemical properties of the co-ligand shell, including its size, composition, and structure. Consequently, we achieved a remarkable 60-fold increase in the absorption cross-section at 990 nm while maintaining the small size of the 1.5-nm metal core. The analytical and optical characterization of our thiol-capped gold nanoparticles indicates that the ligand shell size is governed by the quantity of the reducing agent, which, in turn, impacts the balance between radiative and non-radiative processes, thereby influencing the PL quantum yield. KW - Gold nanocluster KW - NIR-II fluorescence KW - SWIR KW - Nanomaterial design KW - Calibrated fluorescence measurements PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-588117 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/D3TC03021K SN - 2050-7526 VL - 11 IS - 42 SP - 14714 EP - 14724 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) AN - OPUS4-58811 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -