Melanin-Associated Synthesis of SERS-Active Nanostructures and the Application for Monitoring of Intracellular Melanogenesis
Haixin Dong,
Zhiming Liu,
Huiqing Zhong,
Hui Yang,
Yan Zhou,
Yuqing Hou,
Jia Long,
Jin Lin,
Zhouyi Guo
Affiliations
Haixin Dong
SATCM Third Grade Laboratory of Chinese Medicine and Photonics Technology, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
Zhiming Liu
SATCM Third Grade Laboratory of Chinese Medicine and Photonics Technology, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
Huiqing Zhong
SATCM Third Grade Laboratory of Chinese Medicine and Photonics Technology, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
Hui Yang
Infinitus (China) Company Ltd., Guangzhou 510665, China
Yan Zhou
Infinitus (China) Company Ltd., Guangzhou 510665, China
Yuqing Hou
SATCM Third Grade Laboratory of Chinese Medicine and Photonics Technology, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
Jia Long
Infinitus (China) Company Ltd., Guangzhou 510665, China
Jin Lin
Infinitus (China) Company Ltd., Guangzhou 510665, China
Zhouyi Guo
SATCM Third Grade Laboratory of Chinese Medicine and Photonics Technology, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
Melanin plays an indispensable role in the human body. It serves as a biological reducer for the green synthesis of precious metal nanoparticles. Melanin–Ag nanocomposites were successfully produced which exhibited very strong surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect because of the reducibility property of melanin. A melanin–Ag composite structure was synthesized in situ in melanin cells, and SERS technique was performed for the rapid imaging and quantitative assay of intracellular melanin. This imaging technique was also used to successfully trace the formation and secretion of intracellular melanin after stimulation with melanin-stimulating hormones. Based on the self-reducing property of melanin, the proposed SERS imaging method can provide potentially powerful analytical detection tools to study the biological functions of melanin and to prevent and cure melanin-related diseases.
