Fluorescent/UV/Vis spectrophotometry for the determination of biocompatibility, cell adhesion properties and quantitative analysis of different analytes

我们对开发用于体外组织工程的薄膜、图案表面或基质等仿生生物材料感兴趣。同时，我们研究了多丛/纳米丛作为载体（靶向）递送蛋白质、遗传物质和生物活性分子到细胞或组织。荧光和紫外/可见分光光度法是极为敏感的分析工具，在上述研究活动中进行研究至关重要。结合荧光分析，紫外/可见分光光度法可以研究和定量细胞粘附特性，细胞活力，细胞增殖和分化，以响应我们研究活动中开发的新界面和底物。所要求的分光光度计的特殊特点是它能够测量紫外范围内的吸光度，以及在广泛的激发/发射范围内的荧光/发光，从而结合快速和高灵敏度的荧光和吸光度读数。这允许进一步表征包封或生物偶联的部分和/或其释放动力学。该设备与我们实验室现有的高效液相色谱，荧光显微镜和凝胶电泳设备非常互补，从而进一步促进了我们新型生物材料和界面的生物相容性的可靠定性和定量分析。所提出的分光光度计系统也非常适合于实时监测生物分子的释放动力学特征，并确定我们研究的递送系统的包封效率。所要求的系统将取代过时的16年旧分光光度计，这些分光光度计自2011年夏季开始停止使用。目前，该组织对校园内发现的各种其他分光光度计的访问非常有限；此外，无法获得满足所需分析需求的紫外/可见或荧光分光光度测定系统。这极大地阻碍了我们的研究进展，并为我们实验室的30多名研究生，研究员和研究人员造成了不利的局面，他们严重依赖于频繁使用荧光和紫外/可见分光光度法进行他们的项目。

We are interested in developing biomimetic biomaterials as thin films, patterned surfaces or matrices for in vitro tissue engineering. In parallel, we investigate polyplexes/nanoplexes as carriers for (targeted) delivery of proteins, genetic materials and biologically active molecules to cells or tissues. Fluorescent and UV/Vis spectrophotometry are extremely sensitive analytical tools that are essential for conducting research in the aforementioned research activities. Coupled with fluorescence analysis, UV/Vis spectrophotometry allows for investigating and quantifying cell adhesion properties, cell viability, cell proliferation and differentiation in response to the new interfaces and substrates developed in our research activities. The particular feature of the requested spectrophotometer is its ability to measure absorbance in the UV range, as well as fluorescence /luminescence at a wide range of excitation/emission ranges, thus combining rapid and highly sensitive fluorescence and absorbance readings. This allows for further characterization of encapsulated or bioconjugated moieties and/or their release kinetics. This equipment is very complementary to the available HPLC, fluorescence microscopy and gel electrophoresis equipment in our laboratory, thus further facilitating reliable qualitative and quantitative analyses regarding biocompatibility of our novel biomaterials and interfaces. The proposed spectrophotometer system is also well suited for monitoring biomolecule release kinetic profiles in real time, and determining the encapsulation efficiency of the delivery systems investigated by our group. The requested system will replace the outdated 16-year old spectrophotometers that were rendered out of service since summer 2011. Currently, the group has very limited access to various other spectrophotometers found on campus; moreover, no access is available to either a UV/Vis or fluorescence spectrophotometry system that meets the required analytical needs. This greatly impedes our research progress and creates a detrimental situation for over 30 graduate students, fellows and research staff in our laboratories whom are heavily reliant on the frequent use of fluorescence and UV/Vis spectrophotometry for their projects.