This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Imaging oxygen in 3D with sub-micron spatial resolution can be made possible by combining phosphorescence quenching technique with multiphoton laser scanning microscopy. However, Pt and Pd porphyrin-based phosphorescent dyes, traditionally used as phosphors in biological oxygen sensing, exhibit extremely low two-photon absorption (2PA) cross-sections. Using chromophors with large known two photon cross sections linked to porphyrins, we are investigating the possiblity of generating high phosphorescence yields after photoexcitation and subsequent energy transfer between chormophor and porphyrin. Such complexes would be highly desirable for single molecule (SM) studies employing phosphorescence instead of fluorescence. Up to this point, the use of phosphorescence is quite limited in SM techniques due to the low level of signal. Oxygen dependent quenching of phosphorescence is a sensitive method for measuring molecular oxygen. Our proposed complexes could play a key role in measuring molecular oxygen in tissue employing an imaging technique in vivo.
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