一個(gè)分辨率能夠低于一度,、并且能夠集成到活細(xì)胞內(nèi)的納米尺度的溫度計(jì),，將會(huì)為生物學(xué)和醫(yī)學(xué)研究的很多領(lǐng)域提供一個(gè)強(qiáng)大的新工具,。這篇論文描述了用于納米尺度的溫度測(cè)量的一種新探針，它正好能夠做到這一點(diǎn),。該設(shè)備所利用的是對(duì)金剛石納米晶體中的氮-空位彩色中心的量子操縱,。這些“中心”包含單電子自旋，并有依賴(lài)于局部溫度,、對(duì)其很靈敏的特定熒光性質(zhì),。作者發(fā)現(xiàn)，它們能夠以小至200納米的空間分辨率被準(zhǔn)確測(cè)定,。通過(guò)將納米金剛石和金納米顆粒都引入一個(gè)人胚胎成纖維細(xì)胞中,，他們演示了溫度梯度控制及在亞細(xì)胞水平上所進(jìn)行的“測(cè)繪”操作。（生物谷 Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦的英文摘要
Nature doi:10.1038/nature12373
Nanometre-scale thermometry in a living cell
G. Kucsko P. C. Maurer N. Y. Yao M. Kubo H. J. Noh P. K. Lo H. Park M. D. Lukin
Sensitive probing of temperature variations on nanometre scales is an outstanding challenge in many areas of modern science and technology1. In particular, a thermometer capable of subdegree temperature resolution over a large range of temperatures as well as integration within a living system could provide a powerful new tool in many areas of biological, physical and chemical research. Possibilities range from the temperature-induced control of gene expression2, 3, 4, 5 and tumour metabolism6 to the cell-selective treatment of disease7, 8 and the study of heat dissipation in integrated circuits1. By combining local light-induced heat sources with sensitive nanoscale thermometry, it may also be possible to engineer biological processes at the subcellular level2, 3, 4, 5. Here we demonstrate a new approach to nanoscale thermometry that uses coherent manipulation of the electronic spin associated with nitrogen–vacancy colour centres in diamond. Our technique makes it possible to detect temperature variations as small as 1.8 mK (a sensitivity of 9 mK Hz−1/2) in an ultrapure bulk diamond sample. Using nitrogen–vacancy centres in diamond nanocrystals (nanodiamonds), we directly measure the local thermal environment on length scales as short as 200 nanometres. Finally, by introducing both nanodiamonds and gold nanoparticles into a single human embryonic fibroblast, we demonstrate temperature-gradient control and mapping at the subcellular level, enabling unique potential applications in life sciences.
