Ratiometric Fluorescent Probes for the Detection of Reactive Oxygen Species.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are endogenously produced oxidants with various functions ranging from host defense to signaling. These transient species can cause severe damage to the body when their production is dysregulated or when environmental factors elevate their concentrations. To study their effects and prevent oxidative harm, tools capable of monitoring ROS in cells and tissue in a sensitive and selective fashion are required.

Characterization of Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles Based on a PEGylated Chelator for Gene Delivery.

Calcium phosphate (CaP) nanoparticles are promising gene delivery carriers due to their bioresorbability, ease of preparation, high gene loading efficacy, and endosomal escape properties. However, the rapid aggregation of the particles needs to be addressed in order to have potential in vivo. In addition, there is a need to better understand the relationship between CaP nanoparticle properties and their interactions with cells.

Development of a Modular Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe for the Detection of Extracellular Superoxide.

Extracellular detection of endogeneous analytes (e.g., superoxide) can provide important insights into mechanisms of homeostasis and diseases, such as tumorigenesis.

Quantitative measurement of lymphatic function in mice by noninvasive near-infrared imaging of a peripheral vein.

Optical imaging methods have been developed to measure lymphatic function in skin; however, the lymphatic system of many organs is not accessible to this technology. Since lymphatic transport of macromolecules from any organ proceeds to the blood circulation, we aimed to develop a method that can measure lymphatic function by monitoring the fluorescence in a superficial vein of an interstitially injected tracer. We selected a 40-kDa PEGylated near-infrared dye conjugate, as it showed lymphatic system-specific uptake and extended circulation in blood.