| abstract |
The present invention comprises a method for use of a biosensor for in-situ microthermometry. This biosensor is a substantially spherical vesicle impregnated with a dopant which varies its optical emission spectrum as a function of the local environmental temperature of the biosensor in the temperature range to be observed. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, this dopant is the fluorescent dye 6-dodecanoyl-2-dimethylamino-naphthalene (Laurdan™). This method for in-situ measurement of temperature in a biological system uses such a vesicle by introduction of the vesicle into the biological system to be measured and manipulation of the vesicle to the location where temperature is to be measured. The temperature is then calculated from the optically measured generalized polarization at that location and the known relationship between temperature and generalized polarization for the membrane of the vesicle. |