Though creation and characterization of water soluble luminescent silver nanodots were achieved only in the past decade, a large variety of emitters in diverse scaffolds have been reported. Photophysical properties approach those of semiconductor quantum dots, but relatively small sizes are retained. Because of these properties, silver nanodots are finding ever-expanding roles as probes and biolabels. In this critical review we revisit the studies on silver nanodots in inert environments and in aqueous solutions. The recent advances detailing their chemical and physical properties of silver nanodots are highlighted with an effort to decipher the relations between their chemical/photophysical properties and their structures. The primary results about their biological applications are discussed here as well, especially relating to their chemical and photophysical behaviours in biological environments (216 references).

Emissive f-block coordination complexes constitute an important class of optical probes, with applications ranging from sensing of bioactive species, high throughput assays and screening protocols in vitro, to time-resolved imaging studies in cellulo or in vivo. The key chemistry issues to be addressed in complex design and characterisation are defined, with an emphasis on the use of emissive europium and terbium complexes and their conjugates in molecular imaging. Both luminescent 'tags' useful in energy transfer studies and 'responsive' systems for sensing are discussed.

Fluorescence imaging in biological sciences is hindered by significant depth-dependent signal attenuation and high fluorescent backgrounds. We have developed optically modulated near-IR-emitting few-atom Ag nanodots that are selectively and dynamically photobrightened upon simultaneous excitation with a secondary laser enabling high sensitivity image extraction to reveal only the demodulated fluorophores. Image demodulation is demonstrated in high background environments to extract weak signals from completely obscuring background emission.

Every nucleolus has a silver lining: Formation of silver nanoclusters by fluorescence photoactivation was used for the staining of cells at low silver nitrate concentrations and ambient temperature. The picture shows picosecond lifetime images of peptide‐encapsulated silver nanoclusters within NIH 3T3 cells.

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