A “Neck-Formation” Strategy for an Antiquenching Magnetic/Upconversion Fluorescent Bimodal Cancer Probe

A “Neck-Formation” Strategy for an Antiquenching Magnetic/Upconversion Fluorescent Bimodal Cancer Probe: "

Up to the neck! Bio-safe upconversion fluorescent nanocrystals (NaYF₄: Er,Yb) and biocompatible superparamagnetic iron oxide nanocrystals (SPION) were effectively combined by means of a general “neck-formation” strategy, forming a size-controlled, Cd²⁺- and Gd³⁺-free, silica-shielded, magnetic upconversion fluorescent oligomer (SMUFO), bimodal cancer probe that offers high resistance to photoquenching as well as a synergistic T₂-weighted magnetic resonance enhanced effect (see graphic).

"