Fluorescent Pluronic nanodots for in vivo two-photon imaging

Nanotechnology. 2009 Jun 10;20(23):235102. doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/20/23/235102. Epub 2009 May 18.

Abstract

We report the synthesis of new nanosized fluorescent probes based on bio-compatible polyethylene-polypropylene glycol (Pluronic) materials. In aqueous solution, mini-emulsification of Pluronic with a high fluorescent di-stryl benzene-modified derivative, exhibiting a two-photon absorption cross section as high as 2500 Goeppert-Mayer units at 800 nm, leads to nanoparticles exhibiting a hydrodynamic radius below 100 nm. We have demonstrated that these new probes with luminescence located in the spectral region of interest for bio-imaging (the yellow part of the visible spectrum) allow deep (500 microm) bio-imaging of the mice brain vasculature. The dose injected during our experiments is ten times lower when compared to the classical commercial rhodamine-B isothicyanate-Dextran system but gives similar results to homogeneous blood plasma staining. The mean fluorescent signal intensity stayed constant during more than 1 h.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / blood supply
  • Dextrans / chemistry
  • Diagnostic Imaging / methods*
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry*
  • Kidney / blood supply
  • Liver / blood supply
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Particle Size
  • Poloxamer / chemistry*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Rhodamines / chemistry
  • Surface Tension

Substances

  • Dextrans
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Rhodamines
  • rhodamine dextran
  • Poloxamer