A high quantum yield molecule-protein complex fluorophore for near-infrared II imaging

Fluorescence imaging in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II) allows visualization of deep anatomical features with an unprecedented degree of clarity. NIR-II fluorophores draw from a broad spectrum of materials spanning semiconducting nanomaterials to organic molecular dyes, yet unfortunately all water-soluble organic molecules with >1,000 nm emission suffer from low quantum yields that have limited temporal resolution and penetration depth. Here, we report tailoring the supramolecular assemblies of protein complexes with a sulfonated NIR-II organic dye (CH-4T) to produce a brilliant 110-fold increase in fluorescence, resulting in the highest quantum yield molecular fluorophore thus far. The bright…

• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy

  Award: DE-SC0008397
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 21390402, 81573383, 2014DFB30020, 81373254, 2015DFA30440
• MO
  Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China

  Award: 313040
• WU
  Wuhan University
• WU
  Wuhan University School of Medicine
• NS
  National Science and Technology Major Project
• OO
  Office of Science

  Award: DE-SC0008397
• FR
  Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
• NC
  National Cancer Institute

  Awards: CA151459, U54 CA119367, DE-SC0008397