Issue 5, 2024

The luminous frontier: transformative NIR-IIa fluorescent polymer dots for deep-tissue imaging

Abstract

In the realm of deep-tissue imaging, fluorescence imaging in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm) has proved to be an emerging tool, allowing scientists to probe biological processes with unprecedented depth. Within the NIR-II window, the NIR-IIa region (1300–1400 nm) has proved to have excellent imaging quality in the NIR-II window. Among the diverse types of NIR-II fluorophores, polymer dots (Pdots) have surfaced as a unique category of probes due to their exceptional properties including exorbitant brightness, excellent photostability, outstanding water dispersibility, and facile structural modification compared to traditional fluorescent molecules. The utilization of NIR-IIa Pdots has also addressed critical limitations in imaging by utilizing the advantages of reduced light scattering, diminished autofluorescence, and decreased light absorption by biospecies. Realizing such remarkable characteristics, this review offers insights into the design of high-performance NIR-IIa Pdots through a comprehensive interplay between chemical structures, photophysical properties, and their application in deep-tissue imaging.

Graphical abstract: The luminous frontier: transformative NIR-IIa fluorescent polymer dots for deep-tissue imaging

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
29 Feb 2024
Accepted
06 Jun 2024
First published
10 Jun 2024
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

RSC Appl. Polym., 2024,2, 749-774

The luminous frontier: transformative NIR-IIa fluorescent polymer dots for deep-tissue imaging

R. Lawrance, P. Chowdhury, H. Lin and Y. Chan, RSC Appl. Polym., 2024, 2, 749 DOI: 10.1039/D4LP00076E

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