Near-infrared fluorescence microscopy of single-walled carbon nanotubes in phagocytic cells

Paul Cherukuri; Sergei M Bachilo; Silvio H Litovsky; R Bruce Weisman

doi:10.1021/ja0466311

Near-infrared fluorescence microscopy of single-walled carbon nanotubes in phagocytic cells

J Am Chem Soc. 2004 Dec 8;126(48):15638-9. doi: 10.1021/ja0466311.

Authors

Paul Cherukuri¹, Sergei M Bachilo, Silvio H Litovsky, R Bruce Weisman

Affiliation

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.

PMID: 15571374
DOI: 10.1021/ja0466311

Abstract

The uptake of pristine single-walled carbon nanotubes into macrophage-like cells has been studied using the nanotubes' intrinsic near-infrared fluorescence. Macrophage samples that have been incubated in growth media containing suspended single-walled nanotubes show characteristic nanotube fluorescence spectra. The fluorescence intensities increase smoothly with incubation time and external nanotube concentration. Near-infrared fluorescence microscopy at wavelengths above 1100 nm provides high contrast images indicating localization of nanotubes in numerous intracellular vesicles. Nanotube uptake appears to occur through phagocytosis. Population growth of macrophage cultures is unaffected by exposure to single-walled nanotube concentrations of ca. 4 mug/mL for up to 96 h.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Animals
Fluorometry / methods
Macrophages, Peritoneal / metabolism*
Mice
Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods*
Nanotubes, Carbon / analysis*
Phagocytosis
Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared

Substances

Nanotubes, Carbon