An activatable photoacoustic nanoprobe based on a semiconducting oligomer with amplified brightness and pH-sensing capability is developed by taking advantage of nanodoping to simultaneously create both intraparticle photoinduced electron transfer and intramolecular protonation within a single particle. This organic nanoprobe permits noninvasive real-time ratiometric photoacoustic imaging of pH in tumors in living mice through systemic administration at a relatively low dosage.
Keywords: activatable probes; photoacoustic imaging; semiconducting polymer nanoparticles.
© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.