CDSE Quantum Dots and Luminescent/Magnetic Particles for Biological Applications

CdSe semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots--QDs) with diameters ranging between 1.5 and 8 nm exhibit strong, tunable luminescence [1-5]. They have been widely investigated for their size-dependent optoelectronic properties [6], and for their potential use in optical devices [7], biological labels [8] and sensors [9]. Luminescent quantum dots (QDs) show higher photostability and narrower emission peaks compared to organic fluorophores [8]. The objective of my project was to apply QDs magnetic/luminescent nanoparticle as biological labels in cells. Luminescent CdSe QDs emit bright visible light with high quantum yield and sharp emission peak. The CdSe QDs were capped with a ZnS layer. This increased their emission efficiency and photostability due to the larger band gap of ZnS. The QDs were transferred from organic solvent (e.g. chloroform, hexane) to water by exchanging the capping group (Trioctylphosphine Oxide—TOPO) with mercaptoacetic acid. To develop a separation and detection tool for cells, we combined γ-Fe2O3 magnetic particles with CdSe/ZnS QDs in core-shell composite. The composite nanoparticles showed strong fluorescence emission and high water solubility. Different antibodies were attached to the particles through EDAC coupling. The antibody-coated particles were used to successfully separate and detect breast cancer cells in blood cells

CDSE Quantum Dots and Luminescent/Magnetic Particles for Biological Applications

CdSe semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots--QDs) with diameters ranging between 1.5 and 8 nm exhibit strong, tunable luminescence [1-5]. They have been widely investigated for their size-dependent optoelectronic properties [6], and for their potential use in optical devices [7], biological labels [8] and sensors [9]. Luminescent quantum dots (QDs) show higher photostability and narrower emission peaks compared to organic fluorophores [8]. The objective of my project was to apply QDs magnetic/luminescent nanoparticle as biological labels in cells. Luminescent CdSe QDs emit bright visible light with high quantum yield and sharp emission peak. The CdSe QDs were capped with a ZnS layer. This increased their emission efficiency and photostability due to the larger band gap of ZnS. The QDs were transferred from organic solvent (e.g. chloroform, hexane) to water by exchanging the capping group (Trioctylphosphine Oxide—TOPO) with mercaptoacetic acid. To develop a separation and detection tool for cells, we combined γ-Fe2O3 magnetic particles with CdSe/ZnS QDs in core-shell composite. The composite nanoparticles showed strong fluorescence emission and high water solubility. Different antibodies were attached to the particles through EDAC coupling. The antibody-coated particles were used to successfully separate and detect breast cancer cells in blood cells

Fluorescent nanoparticles for sensing

Nanoparticle-based fluorescent sensors have emerged as a competitive alternative to small molecule sensors, due to their excellent fluorescence-based sensing capabilities. The tailorability of design, architecture, and photophysical properties has attracted the attention of many research groups, resulting in numerous reports related to novel nanosensors applied in sensing a vast variety of biological analytes. Although semiconducting quantum dots have been the best-known representative of fluorescent nanoparticles for a long time, the increasing popularity of new classes of organic nanoparticle-based sensors, such as carbon dots and polymeric nanoparticles, is due to their biocompatibility, ease of synthesis, and biofunctionalization capabilities. For instance, fluorescent gold and silver nanoclusters have emerged as a less cytotoxic replacement for semiconducting quantum dot sensors. This chapter provides an overview of recent developments in nanoparticle-based sensors for chemical and biological sensing and includes a discussion on unique properties of nanoparticles of different composition, along with their basic mechanism of fluorescence, route of synthesis, and their advantages and limitations

Semiconductor quantum dots as fluorescent probes for in vitro and in vivo bio-molecular and cellular imaging

Over the years, biological imaging has seen many advances, allowing scientists to unfold many of the mysteries surrounding biological processes. The ideal imaging resolution would be in nanometres, as most biological processes occur at this scale. Nanotechnology has made this possible with functionalised nanoparticles that can bind to specific targets and trace processes at the cellular and molecular level. Quantum dots (QDs) or semiconductor nanocrystals are luminescent particles that have the potential to be the next generation fluorophores. This paper is an overview of the basics of QDs and their role as fluorescent probes for various biological imaging applications. Their potential clinical applications and the limitations that need to be overcome have also been discussed

Potential clinical applications of quantum dots

The use of luminescent colloidal quantum dots in biological investigations has increased dramatically over the past several years due to their unique size-dependent optical properties and recent advances in biofunctionalization. In this review, we describe the methods for generating high-quality nanocrystals and report on current and potential uses of these versatile materials. Numerous examples are provided in several key areas including cell labeling, biosensing, in vivo imaging, bimodal magnetic-luminescent imaging, and diagnostics. We also explore toxicity issues surrounding these materials and speculate about the future uses of quantum dots in a clinical setting

Semiconductor Quantum Dots for Biomedicial Applications

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are nanometre-scale crystals, which have unique photophysical properties, such as size-dependent optical properties, high fluorescence quantum yields, and excellent stability against photobleaching. These properties enable QDs as the promising optical labels for the biological applications, such as multiplexed analysis of immunocomplexes or DNA hybridization processes, cell sorting and tracing, in vivo imaging and diagnostics in biomedicine. Meanwhile, QDs can be used as labels for the electrochemical detection of DNA or proteins. This article reviews the synthesis and toxicity of QDs and their optical and electrochemical bioanalytical applications. Especially the application of QDs in biomedicine such as delivering, cell targeting and imaging for cancer research, and in vivo photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer are briefly discussed

Quantum dots: synthesis, bioapplications, and toxicity

This review introduces quantum dots (QDs) and explores their properties, synthesis, applications, delivery systems in biology, and their toxicity. QDs are one of the first nanotechnologies to be integrated with the biological sciences and are widely anticipated to eventually find application in a number of commercial consumer and clinical products. They exhibit unique luminescence characteristics and electronic properties such as wide and continuous absorption spectra, narrow emission spectra, and high light stability. The application of QDs, as a new technology for biosystems, has been typically studied on mammalian cells. Due to the small structures of QDs, some physical properties such as optical and electron transport characteristics are quite different from those of the bulk materials

Bionanomedicine: A “Panacea” In Medicine?

Recent advances in nanotechnology, biotechnology, bioinformatics, and materials science have prompted novel developments in the field of nanomedicine. Enhancements in the theranostics, computational information, and management of diseases/disorders are desperately required. It may now be conceivable to accomplish checked improvements in both of these areas utilising nanomedicine. This scientific and concise review concentrates on the fundamentals and potential of nanomedicine, particularly nanoparticles and their advantages, nanoparticles for siRNA conveyance, nanopores, nanodots, nanotheragnostics, nanodrugs and targeting mechanisms, and aptamer nanomedicine. The combination of various scientific fields is quickening these improvements, and these interdisciplinary endeavours to have significant progressively outstretching influences on different fields of research. The capacities of nanomedicine are immense, and nanotechnology could give medicine a completely new standpoint

Applications of Graphene Quantum Dots in Biomedical Sensors

Due to the proliferative cancer rates, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, autoimmune diseases and a plethora of infections across the globe, it is essential to introduce strategies that can rapidly and specifically detect the ultralow concentrations of relevant biomarkers, pathogens, toxins and pharmaceuticals in biological matrices. Considering these pathophysiologies, various research works have become necessary to fabricate biosensors for their early diagnosis and treatment, using nanomaterials like quantum dots (QDs). These nanomaterials effectively ameliorate the sensor performance with respect to their reproducibility, selectivity as well as sensitivity. In particular, graphene quantum dots (GQDs), which are ideally graphene fragments of nanometer size, constitute discrete features such as acting as attractive fluorophores and excellent electro-catalysts owing to their photo-stability, water-solubility, biocompatibility, non-toxicity and lucrativeness that make them favorable candidates for a wide range of novel biomedical applications. Herein, we reviewed about 300 biomedical studies reported over the last five years which entail the state of art as well as some pioneering ideas with respect to the prominent role of GQDs, especially in the development of optical, electrochemical and photoelectrochemical biosensors. Additionally, we outline the ideal properties of GQDs, their eclectic methods of synthesis, and the general principle behind several biosensing techniques.DFG, 428780268, Biomimetische Rezeptoren auf NanoMIP-Basis zur Virenerkennung und -entfernung mittels integrierter Ansätz