Low Toxicity, High Resolution, and Red Tissue Imaging in the Vivo of Yb/Tm/GZO@SiO₂ Core–Shell Upconversion Nanoparticles

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have attracted great attention in bioimaging applications. However, the stability and resolution of bioimaging based on UCNPs should be further improved. Herein, we synthesized SiO 2 -coated Ga(III)-doped ZnO (GZO) with lanthanide ion Yb(III) and Tm(III) (Yb/Tm/ [email protected] 2 ) UCNPs, which realized red fluorescence imaging in heart tissue. With increasing injection concentrations of Yb/Tm/ [email protected] 2 (1–10 mg/kg), the red fluorescence imaging intensity of heart tissue gradually increased. Moreover, the experimental results of toxicity in vitro and histological assessments of representative organs in vivo were studied, indicating that Yb/Tm/ [email protected] 2 UCNPs had low biological toxicity. These results proved that Yb/Tm/ [email protected] 2 can be used as a probe for fluorescence imaging in vivo.