摘要
Among the several types of inorganic nanoparticles available,silica nanoparticles(SNP)have earned their relevance in biological applications namely,as bioimaging agents.In fact,uorescent SNP(FSNP)have been explored in this-eld as protective nanocarriers,overcoming some limitations presented by conventional organic dyes such as high photobleaching rates.A crucial aspect on the use of uorescent SNP relates to their surface properties,since it determines the extent of interaction between nanoparticles and biological systems,namely in terms of colloidal stability in water,cellular recognition and internalization,tracking,biodistribution and speci-city,among others.Therefore,it is imperative to understand the mechanisms underlying the interaction between biosystems and the SNP surfaces,making surface functionalization a relevant step in order to take full advantage of particle properties.The versatility of the surface chemistry on silica platforms,together with the intrinsic hydrophilicity and biocompatibility,make these systems suitable for bioimaging applications,such as those mentioned in this review.
基金
FCT for her Ph.D grant(SFRH/BD/88334/2012).Thanks are due to Aveiro University and to FCT/MEC for the-nancial support to QOPNA(FCT UID/QUI/00062/2013),CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials(FCT UID/CTM/50011/2013),CESAM(FCT UID/MAR/LA0017/2013)and CQE(FCT UID/QUI/0100/2013)research units,through national funds and where applicable co-nanced by the FEDER,within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement.
