Modified Fluorescent PEG-Based Carrier System for In-vitro Imaging

Abstract

A facile, one-pot synthesis of polymer based fluorescent coating agent was developed. Polyethylene glycol (PEG), known to be biocompatible and biodegradable, has been modified with ascorbic acid (AA) to yield modified fluorescent PEG based carrier system (PEGAA). The fluorescence obtained was tuned using varying concentrations of ascorbic acid. With increasing concentration of ascorbic acid, a red shift in fluorescence was observed which could be utilized for effective in vitro imaging. The cellular uptake studies reveal the potential use of this novel material for bioimaging applications.