Basic Information

Abstract Number: 210-8     Author Name: Lauren Browning Affiliation: Old Dominion University Session Title: Microscopy: New Instrumental Techniques Event Type: Oral Event Title: Real-time Imaging of Transport and Diffusion of Single Gold Nanoparticles In Vivo Presider(s): Ma, Yinfa Start Time: 03:35 PM ( Slot # 9 ) Date: Sunday, February 28th, 2010 Location: 206B Keywords: Biomedical, Imaging, Microscopy, Nanotechnology

Co-Authors

Name Affiliation Huang, Tao Old Dominion University Lee, Kerry J Old Dominion University Lowman, Jill Old Dominion University Nallathamby, Prakash D Old Dominion University Xu, X Nancy Old Dominion University

Abstract Content

Real-time studies of transport and diffusion mechanisms of nanomaterials in vivo is essential to the development of nanosensors for probing fundamental molecular mechanisms in living organisms and providing new insights into the design of more effective therapies (e.g., drug delivery). We have synthesized and characterized monodisperse gold (Au) nanoparticles and found that single Au nanoparticles resist photodecomposition and blinking, which allows us to use these photostable nanoprobes to image their transport and diffusion modes in zebrafish embryos in real-time. We found that Au nanoparticles can passively diffuse into the chorionic space of living and developing embryos via chorionic pore canals and randomly walk through the chorionic space into the inner embryonic mass. The diffusion coefficients calculated for single nanoparticles at different locations throughout the embryo vary dramatically, suggesting highly diverse environments within the embryo. We use these nano-imaging tools to study dynamic events of interest during embryonic development at nanometer resolution in real-time, demonstrating the possibility of imaging molecular events of interest in vivo in real-time.