Tiny silicon-oxygen-based polyhedron enters cellular nuclei to light them up selectively
Thursday, February 24, 2011 - 12:03
in Biology & Nature
Nuclei are complex, well-defined organelles carrying genetic information that is critical to the cell. Visualizing these organelles through fluorescence imaging techniques promises to reveal the mechanisms that govern genetic information and provide ways to predict and treat genetic diseases. Working closely with Xinhai Zhang at the A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, a research team led by Bin Liu at the National University of Singapore has now developed a method to create ultrasmall, highly selective fluorescent nanoprobes for a cellular nucleus imaging technique known as two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) microscopy.