Detection of carbon monoxide in living cells using surface-functionalised mesoporous materials

一氧化碳(CO)是一种内源性气体信号分子，低剂量与治疗效果有关，如对疾病和炎症的反应。该项目的目的是设计一种能够检测生物细胞中一氧化碳的高选择性探针，因为目前面临的主要挑战是选择性和灵敏度较差。将开发一种新的具有金属表面单元的门控硅基材料家族。感测可以通过显著的颜色变化和荧光的增加来实现；猝灭和捕获介孔二氧化硅中的荧光团，连接到表面的金属络合物起到‘门’的作用，在存在CO的情况下，这些金属络合物会使自身分离，从而允许荧光团释放。这会在细胞内暴露于低浓度的CO时产生显著的荧光响应。通过剂量/反应测试，观察到的荧光将与细胞CO浓度相关。

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an endogenous gaseous signalling molecule, and a low dosage has been linked to therapeutic benefits such as response to diseases and inflammation. The aim of the project is to design a highly selective probe capable of sensing CO in biological cells as the major challenges today are poor selectivity and sensitivity. A new family of gated silica-based materials with metal surface units will be developed. Sensing can be achieved through a dramatic colour change and an increase in fluorescence; quench and trap a 'cargo' of fluorophores within the mesoporous silica with metal complexes attached to the surfaces acting as 'gates', which will detach themselves in the presence of CO allowing the fluorophore to be released. This produces a significant fluorescence response on exposure to the low concentrations of CO in cells. Through dose/response testing, the fluorescence observed will be correlated to cellular CO concentrations.