Luminescent Diamond Nanoparticles: Physical, Chemical and Biological Aspects of the Phenomenon

Biosensors based on nanodiamonds are able to penetrate through the cell membrane in a targeted manner and probe changes in real-time in the inner cellular space. In this work we performed exclusive theoretical and experimental study of nanodiamond particles adjusted for application in optically-traceable intracellular nanodiamond sensors. Theoretical and experimental study of specific optical properties of high-pressure high-temperature nanodiamonds containing NV- and NV0 centres were performed. The results are supported by theoretical modeling. The final result of this study was detection of luminescence ND in living cells and in vivo application od luminiscence NDs in chicken embryo, showing the detectability of luminescence ND using a standard confocal microscope. On the level of in cells selectivity numerous clusters of ND particles were present within the cytoplasm and at the same time no particles were absent in the nucleus-ND particles can be used as imaging or delivery system for specific cell parts targeting. From our study we can say that biosensors based on nanodiamonds (NDs) are able to penetrate through the cell membrane in a targeted manner and probe changes in the inner cellular space.