Abstract
We describe the synthesis of magnetic and fluorescent silica microspheres fabricated by incorporating maghemite (gamma-Fe2O3) nanoparticles (MPs) and CdSe/CdZnS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) into a silica shell around preformed silica microspheres. The resultant approximately 500 nm microspheres have a narrow size distribution and show uniform incorporation of QDs and MPs into the shell. We have demonstrated manipulation of these microspheres using an external magnetic field with real-time fluorescence microscopy imaging.
Highlights
maghemite ( -Fe2O3) nanoparticles (MPs) have been utilized in various biomedical applications, such as magnetic separation, drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and hyperthermia treatment.[1, 12]
We have demonstrated the bifunctionality of the microspheres by manipulating the microspheres using external magnetic fields with real-time fluorescence monitoring
These microspheres have potential for biomedical applications as a probe that responds to magnetic field gradients and Fluorescent images of the microspheres were obtained using a Nikon Eclipse ME600 epifluorescence optical microscope equipped with a Nikon DXM1200 digital camera
Summary
We describe the synthesis of magnetic and fluorescent silica microspheres, fabricated by incorporation of maghemite ( -Fe2O3) nanoparticles (MPs) and CdSe/CdZnS core shell fid quantum dots (QDs) into a silica shell around pre-formed silica microspheres. MPs have been utilized in various biomedical applications, such as magnetic separation, drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and hyperthermia treatment.[1, 12] Among MPs, maghemite or -Fe2O3 nanoparticles are some en of the most promising for in vivo applications because of the known biocompatibility of Fe2O3.12 tia Incorporating MPs along with chromophores enables additional applications Such microspheres can be moved with an external magnetic field while monitoring their motion through fluorescence in real time.[13], l-. We report the synthesis of monodisperse silica microspheres with MPs and QDs both uniformly incorporated, and demonstrate their practical bifunctionality Potential applications of these microspheres include monitoring drug delivery and the combination of deep tissue MRI imaging with high resolution confocal laser scanning microscopy. We have developed a new type of silica microsphere with tight size ldistribution that has both magnetic and fluorescent properties by incorporating MPs and QDs into the silica shells of the pre-made microspheres. These microspheres have potential for biomedical applications as a probe that responds to magnetic field gradients and simultaneously luminesces
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