Measuring distances at molecular length scales in living systems is a significant challenge. Methods like Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) have limitations due to short detection distances and strict orientations. Recently, surface energy transfer (SET) has been used in bulk solutions; however, it cannot be applied to living systems. Here, we have developed an SET nanoruler, using aptamer-gold nanoparticle conjugates with different diameters, to monitor the distance between binding sites of a receptor on living cells. The nanoruler can measure separation distances well beyond the detection limit of FRET. Thus, for the first time, we have developed an effective SET nanoruler for live cells with long distance, easy construction, fast detection, and low background. This is also the first time that the distance between the aptamer and antibody binding sites in the membrane protein PTK7 was measured accurately. The SET nanoruler represents the next leap forward to monitor structural components within living cell membranes.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 3. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 19 September 2025.
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#7,454,951
of 22,790,780 outputs
Outputs from Journal of the American Chemical Society
#28,449
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Outputs of similar age
#35,987
of 100,295 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Journal of the American Chemical Society
#192
of 366 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 22,790,780 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 44th percentile – i.e., 44% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 61,969 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 6.8. This one is in the 16th percentile – i.e., 16% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
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