Optical Monitoring of Labile Zinc inside Metastatic Cells with Plasmonic Chemonanosensors.

ABSTRACT: We report the development and characterization of an optical nanosensor for the detection of labile zinc in biological environments. The readout is based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering promoted by a Raman reporter conjugated to the inner plasmonic cavity of hollow silica nanocapsules. We quantify Zn²⁺ by obtaining the ratio between a Zn²⁺-sensitive band and a Zn²⁺-insensitive band. The Raman reporter measures within the range from 10^-5 to 10^-11 M and exhibits a limit of detection of 10^-11.72 M. The nanosensor discriminates between intracellular and extracellular Zn²⁺ concentrations.

SUBMITTER: Zhou T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11483395 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature