Erythrocytes-like particles with tunable oxygenation state: fabrication and optical properties
Andrei A. Pilnik1,2, Timofei N. Torokhov1,3, Sergei A. Perkov1,4, Vladislav I. Shcheslavskiy1,5,6, Dmitry A. Gorin1,4
1Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
2Institute of Automation and Control Processes, Far Eastern Branch,
Russian Academy of Science, Vladivostok, Russia
3Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Moscow, Russia
4Central University, Moscow, Russia
5Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
6Becker & Hickl GmbH, Berlin, Germany
Abstract
This study presents the fabrication and characterization of hemoglobin-based microparticles (Hb-MPs) with a tunable oxidation state of heme for use as phantom of red blood cell. While whole blood and hemoglobin solutions are commonly used in phantoms, they are limited by short shelf-life and lack of light scattering, respectively. To address this, a commercial hemoglobin solution (Agat-Med LLC, Russia) was reduced with dithionite to achieve a predominantly oxygenated state, increasing the oxyhemoglobin fraction from 17% to 85%. This reduced hemoglobin was then co-precipitated with 0.25 M Na2CO3 and 0.25 M CaCl2 to form vaterite microparticles encapsulating the hemoglobin. The hemoglobin was cross-linked with glutaraldehyde and the vaterite core was dissolved, yielding stable Hb-MPs [1]. Spectrophotometry revealed a hemoglobin loading efficiency of 20.5% and an effective hemoglobin concentration of 31 g/L. The resulting particles had an average diameter of approximately 5 ± 2 µm. Absorption measurements confirmed the characteristic peaks of oxyhemoglobin at 410, 537, and 570 nm, validating the preservation of the oxygenated state. Finally, the photoacoustic signal of the Hb-MPs was successfully detected using raster-scan optoacoustic mesoscopy (RSOM, iThera-Medical, Germany) in a tissue-mimicking phantom. These results highlight the potential of Hb-MPs as tunable, long-lasting phantoms.
This work was supported by the agreement between Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) and Privolzhsky Research Medical University (PRMU) in the frame Russian Science Foundation (RSF) grant №24-19-00618.
1 – Y. Xiong et. al., 2012, 13 (10), 3292-3300. doi: 10.1021/bm301085x;
Speaker
Pilnik Andrei
Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology
Russia
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