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Upconversion Nanoparticles for Bioimaging

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Book cover Phosphors, Up Conversion Nano Particles, Quantum Dots and Their Applications

Abstract

Rare earth lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), which can nonlinearly convert long wavelength near-infrared (NIR) light illumination into multiplex emissions, have been widely used in biomedical applications for in vitro and in vivo biolabeling and optical data storage based on their controllable multicolor emission properties. Compared to the traditional used downconversion fluorescence imaging strategies, such NIR light-excited luminescence of UCNPs displays low cytotoxicity and high photostability with little background auto-fluorescence. In this way, it therefore allows for deep tissue penetration, making them attractive as promising contrast agents for biological sensing, biomedical imaging, and diseases theranostics. In this chapter, we mainly place our attention on the recent development of new type of lanthanide-doped UCNP nanomaterials for their in vitro and in vivo bioimaging applications and we also highlight some key challenges for future biomedical studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore, 637371, Singapore

    Xiangzhao Ai, Junxin Aw & Bengang Xing

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  2. Junxin Aw
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  1. Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University Department of Chemistry, Taipei, Taiwan

    Ru-Shi Liu

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Ai, X., Aw, J., Xing, B. (2016). Upconversion Nanoparticles for Bioimaging. In: Liu, RS. (eds) Phosphors, Up Conversion Nano Particles, Quantum Dots and Their Applications. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1590-8_12

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