The development of a novel uncomplicated sensor for sensitive and selective detection in biomedical analysis is necessary. This study demonstrates the preparation of nitrogen-doped carbon dots (NC dots) via hydrothermal synthesis as a naked eye fluorescent probe for selective and sensitive detection of dopamine (DA). The successful synthesis of NC dots was confirmed using various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. In addition, NC-dot-incorporated gel strips were prepared through a simple approach for naked eye detection of dopamine. The linear range for detection of dopamine was 2−20 μg/mL with a detection limit as low as 1.97 μg/mL. Moreover, NC dots showed a low toxicity toward HeLa cells, demonstrating their relevance in multicolor cell imaging. The developed probe was also utilized for quantitative determination of dopamine in a commercial pharmaceutical sample with adequate results.
:
Fluorescence based bioimaging is one of the widely used method
for obtaining imperative information on life processes.
Objective:
Within the expansive spectrum of fluorescent agents being investigated, the trivalent
Lanthanide (Ln) ion based nanoparticles have attracted attention due to their intrinsic
luminescence property.
Methods:
Here we report a modified sol gel assisted synthesis of Europium (Eu) and Samarium
(Sm) doped Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HAp NPs). Doping Ln ions in the selffluorescent
hydroxyapatite lattice contributed towards an increased luminescence in the
NPs.
Results:
The XRD patterns reveal that the Eu+3 and Sm+3 doped HAp NPs display the
characteristic peaks of hydroxyapatite in a hexagonal lattice structure, and the FTIR data
confirms presence of characteristic functional groups. The as-synthesized HAp NPs exhibit
short rod-shaped morphology with average length less than 60 nm. Upon excitation at representative
wavelengths, the doped HAp NPs demonstrated characteristic emission lines of
Eu+3 and Sm+3.
Conclusion:
The as-synthesized NPs displayed no toxicity towards HeLa cells and are
easily internalized, exhibiting their potential as promising live cell bioimaging agents.
The small interference RNA (siRNA)-assisted RNA interference approach in stem cells for differentiating into cell-specific lineages is gaining importance for its therapeutic potential. An effective gene delivery platform is crucial to achieve this goal. In this context, self-fluorescent, cell-penetrating peptide (CPP)-functionalized hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (R8HNPs) were synthesized by a modified sol gel technique. R8HNPs were crystalline, displayed characteristic bands, and exhibited broad emission spectra from 350 to 750 nm corresponding to green and red fluorescence. The biocompatible R8HNPs displayed robust binding with siRNA and excellent uptake in R1 ESCs. This was attributed to functionalization with CPP. Moreover, the R8HNP-complexed siRNA exhibited excellent serum and room temperature stability. The NPs protected the siRNA from sonication, pH, and temperature-induced stress and efficiently delivered siRNA to trigger 80% silencing of a pluripotency marker gene, Oct4, in R1 ESCs at 48 h. The transient downregulation was also observed at the protein level. Our findings demonstrate R8HNPs as a promising delivery agent for siRNA therapeutics with the potential for lineage-specific differentiation and future applications in regenerative medicine.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.