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The demand for photostable luminescent reporters that absorb and emit light in the red to near-infrared (NIR) spectral region continues in biomedical research and bioanalysis. In recent years, classical organic fluorophores have increasingly been displaced by luminescent nanoparticles. These consist of either polymer or silica based beads that are loaded with luminescent dyes, conjugated polymers, or inorganic nanomaterials such as semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots), colloidal clusters of silver and gold, or carbon dots. Among the inorganic materials, photon upconversion nanocrystals exhibit a high potential for application to bioimaging or biomolecular assays. They offer an exceptionally high photostability, can be excited in the NIR, and their anti-Stokes emission enables luminescence detection free of background and perturbing scatter effects even in complex biological samples. These lanthanide doped inorganic crystals have multiple emission lines that can be tuned by the selection of the dopants.
This review article is focused on the applications of functionalized photon upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) to chemical sensing. This is a comparatively new field of research activity and mainly directed at the sensing and imaging of ubiquitous chemical analytes in biological samples, particularly in living cells. For this purpose, the particles have to be functionalized with suitable indicator dyes or recognition elements, as they do not show an intrinsic or specific luminescence response to most of these analytes (e.g. pH, oxygen, metal ions). We describe the strategies for the design of such responsive nanocomposites utilizing either luminescence resonance energy transfer or emissionreabsorption (inner filter effect) mechanisms and also highlight examples for their use either immobilized in sensor layers or directly as nanoprobes for intracellular sensing and imaging.
A luminescent probe for determination of pH was designed based on a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) system, combining a europium chelate as the donor and carboxynaphtho-fluorescein as a pH sensitive acceptor. The FRET system enables referenced pH detection in an exceptional broad dynamic range from pH 3 to 9.
We report on the use of a sprayable and thermogelating biomaterial (Poloxamer; a.k.a. Pluronic) in optical imaging of pH values, local oxygen and temperature. The material is highly biocompatible and easy to handle. We also show that the material is well permeable to oxygen (thus making it a good choice for use in oxygen sensors), and is stable in liquid solution and at elevated temperature. We demonstrate its applicability in optical sensors for oxygen, pH and temperature. This was accomplished by incorporating appropriate luminescent probes in various kinds of microparticles (which act as hosts for the probes and prevent dye leaching and aggregation), and then dispersing the microparticles in the thermogelating polymer. The resulting sensor gels were deposited on the surface of interest via spraying at temperatures of <20 °C. At these temperatures, the gels adhere well to the target, even on uneven surfaces such as skin, wounds, and bacterial cultures. If temperature is risen to above 25 °C, the gels form a thin and soft but solid sensing layer which, however, can be simply removed from surface of interest by cooling and wiping it off, or by washing with water. Sprayable thermogelating sensors present obvious advantages over other sensors by not causing damage to the surface of interest. In our perception, the sensing materials also have wide further applicability in sensors for other species including clinically relevant gases, enzyme substrates (such as glucose or lactate) and ions.
Europium 1,3-di(thienyl)propane-1,3-diones with outstanding properties for temperature sensing
(2015)
The synthesis of novel Eu complexes with 1,3-di(thienyl)propane-1,3-diones as ligands as well as their luminescence properties in different polymers are reported. The new temperature sensitive paints (TSPs) exhibit not only exceptional high temperature sensitivity over a wide range of temperatures but are also characterized by negligible pressure sensitivity and marked photostability. This is why they are outstandingly suitable for applications, e.g. in aerodynamics and hydrodynamics.
Fluorescence imaging microscopy is an essential tool in biomedical research. Meanwhile, various fluorescent probes are available for the staining of cells, cell membranes, and organelles. Though, to monitor intracellular processes and dysfunctions, probes that respond to ubiquitous chemical parameters determining the cellular function such as pH, pO2, and Ca2+ are required. This review is focused on the progress in the design, fabrication, and application of photoluminescent nanoprobes for sensing and imaging of pH in living cells. The advantages of using nanoprobes carrying fluorescent pHindicators compared to single molecule probes are discussed as well as their limitations due to the mostly lysosomal uptake by cells. Particular attention is paid to ratiometric dual wavelength nanosensors that enable intrinsic referenced measurements. Referencing and proper calibration procedures are basic prerequisites to carry out reliable quantitative pH determinations in complex samples such as living cells. A variety of examples will be presented that highlight the diverseness of nanocarrier materials (polymers, micelles, silica, quantum dots, carbon dots, gold, photon upconversion nanocrystals, or bacteriophages), fluorescent pH indicators for the weak acidic range, and referenced sensing mechanisms, that have been applied intracellularly up to now.
The intention of this compilation of articles was to introduce brand-new developments in the field of chemical imaging which have not been discussed in previous review articles. These include the design of new sensor nanomaterials based on photon uponversion crystals which convert near-infrared excitation light into sensor signals in the visible wavelength range highlighted by Christ and Schäferling. Sun, Ungerböck and Mayr describe the state of the art in oxygen imaging in microreactors and microfluidic devices. Miniaturized sensors for the imaging of oxygen, pH and temperature in microchips, microfluidic platforms and microbioreactors are reviewed by Pfeiffer and Nagl. Furthermore, Dmitriev and Papkovsky present a critical assessment of the applicability of probes for intracellular oxygen sensing.
I hope these articles provide an interesting insight into advanced luminescent sensor materials and the applications of optical micro- and nanosensors in fluorescence imaging today and will be inspiring for the reader. Finally, I would like to thank all authors and referees for spending their time to enable this collection of articles.
A strongly fluorescent organic semiconducting polymer doped with a highly
temperature dependent fluorescent europium(III) complex is converted into a
nanosized material that is capable of optically sensing temperature (T) in the
range from 0 to 50 °C via two-photon excitation at 720 nm. The nanosensors
are prepared from a blue-fluorescent polyfluorene that acts as both a lightharvesting
antenna (to capture two-photon energy) and an energy donor in a
fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) system. The photonic energy
absorbed by the polymer is transferred to the T-sensitive red-luminescent
europium complex contained in the nanoparticles. The close spatial proximity
of the donor and the acceptor warrants efficient FRET. A poly(ethylene glycol)-
co-poly(propylene oxide) block copolymer is also added to render the particles
biocompatible. It is shown that T can be calculated from a) the intensity of
the luminescence of the europium complex, b) the ratio of the intensities of
the red and blue luminescence, or c) the T-dependent luminescence lifetime
of the Eu(III) complex.
Biosensors, as defined by Pure and Applied Chemistry, are ‘chemical sensors in which the recognition System utilizes a biochemical mechanism. The biological recognition system translates information from the biochemical domain, usually an analyte concentration, into a chemical or physical output signal with a defined sensitivity’.(1) It is also appointed that chemical or biological sensors contain two basic components connected in series: a chemical or biomolecular recognition System (receptor) and a physicochemical transducer. According to this prerequisite, this overlook is confined to sensor devices that combine a biomolecular recognition element with an optical signal transducer. Homogeneous or intracellular assays using fluorescent molecular probes or nanoparticles are not considered, although they are frequently termed as molecular sensors or nanosensors in the literature.
Fluorescence-based biosensors are generalized as those devices that derive an analytical signal from a photoluminescent (either fluorescence or phosphorescence) emission process. Chemi- or bioluminescent detection systems are only briefly discussed in this review.
Biosensors are used for a wide variety of tasks, including detection of compounds of biomedical, environmental or defense interest; on-line monitoring for process control; quality control of foodstuffs; selective detection of compounds undergoing a chemical separation; and screening of drug compounds. Advantages of such devices include high selectivity, rapid response times, reusability, amenability to remote analysis, and immunity to electrical interferences. The selective nature of complexation between biomolecule and analyte and the small size of sensor devices can be combined with advanced detection techiques such as total internal reflection (TIR) spectroscopy. This results in an ability to measure analytes in complex matrices with unsurpassed sensitivity. Such samples may include highly scattering components such as milk or whole blood,(11) or relatively inaccessible locations such as groundwater wells, or even intracellular environments. The key limitation of such devices mainly centers on the poor stability of biological compounds, which can lead to a substantial drift in instrumental response over time. The so-called Cambridge Definition appoints another characteristic property of sensors. Therein, they are defined as ‘miniaturized devices which can deliver real-time and on-line information on the presence of specific compounds or ions in even complex samples’. Accordingly, a sensor is expected to respond reversibly and continuously. With the exception of some enzymatic sensors, these conditions are not fulfilled in case of most biosensors. Particularly, in devices where immunological reagents or DNA are used as recognition elements, they show a lack of reversibility and operate only as a ‘one-shot’ screen, without the potential for continuous, quantitative analysis. Nevertheless, the designations immunosensors or DNA sensors became accepted for such analytical or diagnostic tools.
Thermal sensing using the luminescence intensity ratio of the green Er3+ emissions is affected by the solvent and requires steady-state conditions during the excitation. It is important to keep the excitation power at a moderate level or short exposure times to avoid local heating of aqueous samples. The solvent also determines whether the red emission of Er3+ is excited via a two- or three-photon process.
The luminescence intensity ratio (LIR) of the green emissions of the near-infrared excited NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ nanocrystals is a promising method for temperature sensing. Here, the influence of excitation power density, excitation pulse length, excitation wavelength, silica shell, and solvent on the LIR and its temperature response is reported. The primary objective is to study the LIR mechanism and the impact of measurement and environmental parameters on the calibration and precision of the LIR. The LIR value is demonstrated to be unaffected by the excitation intensity in the studied range. This result is essential, considering the application feasibility of the LIR method as temperature sensor, where the effective excitation power density depends on the sample matrix and the distance excitation light travels in the sample. The pulsed excitation, however, results in an increase in the LIR value upon short pulse width. Silanization of bare nanocrystals has no effect on the LIR values, but the local warming of H2O samples under laser exposure results in slightly increased LIR values compared to other solvents; D2O, oleic acid, and dimethyl sulfoxide. The thermal quenching of luminescence lifetimes of Er3+ emission is proved to be too weak for sensing applications.
