Carbon dots based on targeting unit inheritance strategy for Golgi apparatus-targeting imaging

The Golgi apparatus is one of the important organelles, where the final processing and packaging of cellular secretions (such as proteins) are completed. The disorder of Golgi apparatus structure and function will induce many diseases. Therefore, monitoring the morphological structure of Golgi apparatus is crucial for the diagnosis and treatment of relevant diseases. In order to achieve Golgi apparatus-targeting imaging, the strategy of targeting unit inheritance was adopted and carbon dots (CDs) with Golgi apparatus-targeting ability were synthesized by one-step hydrothermal method with L-ascorbic acid with high reactivity and reducibility as the carbon source and L-cysteine as the targeting unit. CDs have a certain amount of cysteine residues on their surface, and have excitation dependence, satisfactory fluorescence and cysteine residues stability and low toxicity. As an imaging agent, CDs can be used for targeting imaging of Golgi apparatus.