 | Figure 1
Nature Biotechnology 24, 326 - 328 (2006)
doi:10.1038/nbt0306-326
Self-illuminating quantum dots light the wayJohn V Frangioni | | | | Figure 1. In conventional near-infrared fluorescence imaging (left), excitation light (dashed lines) is scattered and absorbed by tissue.
This results in reflected excitation light and autofluorescence (dotted lines), weighted heavily on the surface, which interferes with the detection of desired fluorescence (solid lines). Using quantum dot/luciferase conjugates described by So et al. (right), chemical energy from the substrate coelenterazine is converted into photon energy, which excites the quantum dot through bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). No excitation light is required, and autofluorescence is virtually eliminated, although emitted photons are still subject to absorption and scatter before detection.
Bob Crimi |
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