Oxygen plays an essential role in maintaining the structure and function of the brain. Molecular oxygen serves as a terminal electron acceptor in the mitochondrial electron transfer chain to generate cellular energy (ATP). Phosphorescence quenching by oxygen provides a non-invasive optical method to measure oxygen levels within cells and tissues. Boron diketonates are a family of luminophores with high quantum yields and tunable fluorescence and phosphorescence when embedded in certain rigid matrices such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA). Boron nanoparticles (BNPs) can be fabricated from dye-PLA materials for oxygen imaging. These dual emissive nanoparticles have oxygen-insensitive fluorescence, oxygen-sensitive phosphorescence, and rigid matrix all in one, enabling real-time ratiometric oxygen sensing at micron-level spatial and millisecond-level temporal resolution. In this work, the BNPs are applied in mouse brain slices to investigate oxygen changes in response to varied conditions. Cellular oxygen mapping could provide fundamental insight into neuronal mechanisms and excitability research. Current results reveal BNP uptake by neurons. The oxygen levels were measured using boron nanosensors under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Recent progress in brain oxygen imaging with boron nanosensors will be presented.

Oxygen nanosensors for brain imaging

2019 Fall National Meeting

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.