A Silk‐Based Functionalization Architecture for Single Fiber Imaging and Sensing

• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202010713
• Publication Date: 2021-03-30T05:51:55Z
• Authors: Patrick K. Capon; Jiawen Li; Aimee J. Horsfall; Suliman Yagoub; Erik P. Schartner; Asma Khalid; Rodney W. Kirk; Malcolm S. Purdey; Kylie R. Dunning; Robert A. McLaughlin; Andrew D. Abell
• Keywords: Surface Modification; Fibroin; Photobleaching

Abstract A new fiber functionalization architecture for single‐fiber imaging and sensing is presented. 5(6)Carboxy‐seminaphthorhodafluor‐2 (a fluorescent pH sensor) attached to a silk‐binding peptide the complex added aqueous silk fibroin protein. These bind with K d of 36 µM as determined by fluorescence polarization assay. The dip‐coated into mixture, scanning electron microscopy images reveal uniform coating on tip. stable repeated washes does not affect light emitted from fiber, which allows concurrent optical coherence tomography (OCT) sensing. Oocytes are metabolically stimulated CoCl 2 produce lactic acid, reduction 0.04 measured using probe. distance between tip oocyte monitored simultaneous OCT acquisitions precisely position Lastly, an ovary revealed presence/absence within follicle, important step toward improving patient outcomes during in vitro fertilization, limiting number invasive follicle punctures required. results demonstrate utility this enable sensing, provides significant insight biological systems.