Open AccessPolarization microscopy with stellated gold nanoparticles for robust, in-situ monitoring of biomolecules
Author(s) -
Jesse Aaron,
E. De la Rosa,
Kort Travis,
Nathan Harrison,
Justin L. Burt,
Miguel José–Yacamán,
Konstantin Sokolov
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.16.002153
Subject(s) - nanoparticle , biomolecule , microscopy , materials science , plasmon , nanotechnology , polarization (electrochemistry) , nanomaterials , colloidal gold , optics , biosensor , plasmonic nanoparticles , polarization microscopy , light scattering , optoelectronics , scattering , chemistry , physics
Advances in plasmonic nanoparticle synthesis afford new opportunities for biosensing applications. Here, we apply a combination of a new type of plasmonic nanomaterial - stellated nanoparticles, and polarization-sensitive darkfield microscopy for detecting molecular assemblies and tracking of individual epidermal growth factor receptors within single live cells with high signal-to-background ratio. Depolarization of linear polarized light by stellated nanoparticles is over 15-fold more efficient than similarly-sized spheroidal nanoparticles. This efficient light depolarization allows robust detection of molecules labeled with stellated nanoparticles in cross-polarized imaging where the intrinsic light scattering from cells is significantly reduced. The imaging can be carried out with single molecule sensitivity for essentially unlimited time with no signal degradation.