Bright red fluorescent conjugated polymer nanoparticles with dibenzopyran as electron donor for cell imaging

Abstract

Red fluorescent Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles (CPNs) were synthesized via widely used CPs: surfactant mass ratio (1 : 2) with the quantum yield as high as 51.8% for cell imaging.

Brightness of fluorescent organic nanomaterials

“…43,83,84 Because of their biocompatibility and inherent optical properties, CPNs are widely used in single photon, [85][86][87][88][89][90][91][92][93] multiphoton, 94,95 photoacoustic 96,97 and superresolution 24 imaging applications. CPNs have been used to develop various ultrasensitive biosensors [98][99][100] and they were successfully used for cell labelling, 56,101 flow cytometry 102 and theranostics applications. [103][104][105] We recommend the readers several excellent reviews focused on design and applications of CPNs and Pdots.…”

Conjugated polymers as nanoparticle probes for fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging

“…In films and nanostructures, the conjugated polymers are restricted to a condensed architecture, which greatly increases the polymer chain contact 150 , thus adjacent chromophores are packed more closely, facilitating their interaction and leading to the formation of interchain species that emit at longer wavelengths than the free polymer chain 149 . Overall, compared to fully solvated polymers in solvent, CPNs dispersed in water can present a blue-shifted absorption, related to the decreased conjugation length due to the polymer bending 86 , and typically show a red-shift emission, caused by interchain species originating from increased chain interactions 9,86,92,93,132,142,148,154 . Importantly, the red-shifted emission is usually associated with a decrease in the quantum yield 86,132,142,148 .…”

“…Overall, compared to fully solvated polymers in solvent, CPNs dispersed in water can present a blue-shifted absorption, related to the decreased conjugation length due to the polymer bending 86 , and typically show a red-shift emission, caused by interchain species originating from increased chain interactions 9,86,92,93,132,142,148,154 . Importantly, the red-shifted emission is usually associated with a decrease in the quantum yield 86,132,142,148 . Therefore, it is important to consider the relationship between the conditions and materials used to prepare fluorescent nanoparticles with the properties and characteristics of the systems obtained.…”

Different PEG‐PLGA Matrices Influence In Vivo Optical/Photoacoustic Imaging Performance and Biodistribution of NIR‐Emitting π‐Conjugated Polymer Contrast Agents

“…[15,[26][27][28] Using suitable methods (mini-emulsion or nanoprecipitation) this lipophilic polymer can be processed into nanoparticles, [3,29,30] whereby two major groups of architectures have been reported, i.e., 1) core-shell nanoparticles with PCPDTBT as a core coated with a phospholipid or surfactant shell and 2) PCPDTBT embedded within another matrix, such as a polymer or inorganic material. [3,15,26] Core-shell CPNs have been produced with, DOPC, [31] DPPC, [28] PEG 2000 -phospholipid [7] or PSMA [32] for in vitro and in vivo optical and photoacoustic imaging as well as for photothermal and photodynamic therapy. [3] In addition to these two possibilities, PCPDTBT offers the potential to chemically modify the side chains of the lipophilic conjugated polymer with PEG to create an amphiphilic molecule that has the ability to self-assemble into nanoparticles.…”