A smart cysteine-activated and heavy-atom-free nano-photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy to treat cancers†
Abstract
A smart and heavy-atom-free photoinactive nano-photosensitizer capable of being activated by cysteine at the tumor site to generate highly photoactive nano-photosensitizers that show strong NIR absorption and fluorescence with a good singlet oxygen quantum yield (16.8%) for photodynamic therapy is reported.