Fig. 9. (a) Nanoparticle with the biotinylated Gd-wedge, containing eight Gd-DTPA complexes each (AnxA5-QD-Gd-wedge). Green: QD; yellow: streptavidin; red dot: Gd-DTPA; red star: lysine-wedge; blue: AnxA5. (b) TPLSM image of a damaged murine carotid artery (ex vivo), displaying high uptake of green-emitting, annexin A5-conjugated QDs with a Gd-wedge coating in ECs and SMCs. EC: endothelial cells; SMC: smooth muscle cells; L: lumen; EEL: external elastic lamina; IEL: internal elastic lamina. Red: eosin, labeling elastin laminae; blue: syto41, labeling cell nuclei. (c) The same damaged artery revealed brighter contrast in a transversal MR image (right) compared to an undamaged control artery (left). Reproduced from ref. 118 with permission from American Chemical Society, copyright 2007. (d) Schematic diagram of preparation of chitosan microsphere incorporated with Gd(aspirin)3·2H2O and Fe3O4. Reproduced from ref. 119 with permission from Elsevier, copyright 2014.
