Optical imaging articles within Nature Chemistry

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• Article | 19 October 2020

  Shortwave infrared polymethine fluorophores matched to excitation lasers enable non-invasive, multicolour in vivo imaging in real time

  Conducting high-resolution, multiplexed imaging in living mammals is challenging because of considerable scattering and autofluorescence in tissue at visible and near-infrared wavelengths. Now, real-time, non-invasive multicolour imaging experiments in live animals have been achieved through the design of optical contrast agents for the shortwave infrared (SWIR, 1,000–2,000 nm) region and the introduction of excitation multiplexing with single-channel SWIR detection.

  • Emily D. Cosco
  • , Anthony L. Spearman
  •  & Ellen M. Sletten

• Article | 24 October 2010

  Storable, thermally activated, near-infrared chemiluminescent dyes and dye-stained microparticles for optical imaging

  An optical molecular imaging dye is described that is based on an interlocked squaraine rotaxane peroxide. These fluorescent and chemiluminescent dye molecules can be stored indefinitely at low temperature, but on warming to body temperature they undergo a unimolecular reaction, emitting near-infrared light that can pass through a living mouse.

  • Jeffrey M. Baumes
  • , Jeremiah J. Gassensmith
  •  & Bradley D. Smith