Intracellular imaging with a graphene-based fluorescent probe

Small. 2010 Aug 2;6(15):1686-92. doi: 10.1002/smll.201000560.

Abstract

Graphene is an increasingly important nanomaterial that has shown great promise in the area of nanotechnology. In this study, fluorescein-functionalized graphene oxide (GO) is synthesized via a polyethylene glycol (PEG) bridge and its application in intracellular imaging is explored. GO is an oxide form of graphene that provides an ideal platform to prepare graphene-based functional nanomaterials via chemical modification. The PEG bridge was introduced to prevent GO-induced quenching of conjugated fluorescein. The fluorescein-PEG-GO conjugate thus prepared exhibits excellent pH-tunable fluorescent properties and, more significantly, can be efficiently taken up by cells and serve as a fluorescent nanoprobe for intracellular imaging.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Diagnostic Imaging / methods*
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry*
  • Graphite / chemistry*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nanotechnology / methods*
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Graphite