Composite SERS-based satellites navigated by optical tweezers for single cell analysis

Analyst. 2015 Aug 7;140(15):4981-6. doi: 10.1039/c5an00392j.

Abstract

Herein, we have designed composite SERS-active micro-satellites, which exhibit a dual role: (i) effective probes for determining cellular composition and (ii) optically movable and easily detectable markers. The satellites were synthesized by the layer-by-layer assisted decoration of silica microparticles with metal (gold or silver) nanoparticles and astralen in order to ensure satellite SERS-based microenvironment probing and satellite recognition, respectively. A combination of optical tweezers and Raman spectroscopy can be used to navigate the satellites to a certain cellular compartment and probe the intracellular composition following cellular uptake. In the future, this developed approach may serve as a tool for single cell analysis with nanometer precision due to the multilayer surface design, focusing on both extracellular and intracellular studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Equipment Design
  • Fibroblasts / cytology*
  • Gold / chemistry
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Mice
  • Optical Tweezers*
  • Silicon Dioxide / chemistry*
  • Silver / chemistry
  • Single-Cell Analysis / instrumentation*
  • Spectrum Analysis, Raman / instrumentation*

Substances

  • Silver
  • Gold
  • Silicon Dioxide