Abstract
This review aims to summarise key recent developments regarding the use of luminescent metal complexes in biological imaging. The photophysical advantages of d- and f-block complexes are discussed and specific examples of cellular imaging are described through confocal fluorescence microscopy studies. Issues of complex design and specific organelle targeting are considered together with the use of a phosphorescent ruthenium complex to monitor intracellular oxygen levels in real-time, via microscopy and time-resolved luminescence methods. The development of near-IR-emissive probes based on lanthanide complexes are also briefly presented, together with strategies for their application as responsive reporters in a biological context.
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Acknowledgements
Collaborators in Cardiff who cultured organisms and cells, synthesised new luminophores and obtained optical images were Dr. Anthony J. Hayes, Dr. Jonathan B. Court, Dr. Coralie O. Millet, Dr. Victoria Gray, Dr. Vanesa Fernandez-Moreira, Dr. Sion H. Lloyd, Ms. Flora L. Thorp-Greenwood Dr. Michael Andrews, Ms. Jennifer E. Jones, Ms. Catrin F. Williams and Mr. Marc Isaacs. Expert advice and preparations of nanoparticles were provided by Dr. Lars Folke Olsen, Dr. Allan Poulsen and Ms. Anita Lunding of the University of Southern Denmark at Odense.
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Lloyd, D., Coogan, M.P., Pope, S.J.A. (2012). Novel Metal-Based Luminophores for Biological Imaging. In: Geddes, C. (eds) Reviews in Fluorescence 2010. Reviews in Fluorescence, vol 2010. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9828-6_2
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