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Fluorophore-photochrome co-embedded polymer nanoparticles for photoswitchable fluorescence bioimaging

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Abstract

Photoswitchable polymer nanoparticles (ps-PNPs) have been constructed by emulsion polymerization through embedding an iridium(III) complex, [Ir(bt)2(pic)](bt = phenylbenzothiazole, pic = picolinate), as a fluorophore and a diarylethene derivative (DTE) as a photochrome. The ps-PNPs show reversible luminescence modulation with DTE switching using UV light in aqueous solution and even in living cells. Such luminescent modulation only occurred in polymer nanoparticles and not in a simple mixed solution with low concentrations of [Ir(bt)2(pic)] and DTE. The ps-PNPs displayed good cellular uptake and fast intracellular luminescence modulation by photoswitching, indicating the nanoparticles could be developed as photoswitchable luminescent probes for a diversity of bioimaging applications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Tianshe Yang, Qian Liu, Zesheng Dong, Chunhui Huang & Fuyou Li

  2. Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, China

    Shouzhi Pu

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  1. Tianshe Yang
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  2. Qian Liu
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  3. Shouzhi Pu
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  4. Zesheng Dong
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  5. Chunhui Huang
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  6. Fuyou Li
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Correspondence to Shouzhi Pu or Fuyou Li.

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Yang, T., Liu, Q., Pu, S. et al. Fluorophore-photochrome co-embedded polymer nanoparticles for photoswitchable fluorescence bioimaging. Nano Res. 5, 494–503 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-012-0235-0

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