Long-term inspection of biological phenomena requires probes of elevated intra- and extracellular stability and target biospecificity. The high fluorescence and photostability of quantum dot (QD) nanoparticles contributed to foster their promise as bioimaging tools that could overcome limitations associated with traditional fluorophores. However, QDs' potential as a bioimaging platform relies upon a precise control over the surface chemistry modifications of these nano-objects. Here, a zwitterion-vinylimidazole block copolymer ligand was synthesized, which regroups all anchoring groups in one compact terminal block, while the rest of the chain is endowed with antifouling and bioconjugation moieties. By further application of an oriented bioconjugation approach with whole IgG antibodies, QD nanobioconjugates were obtained that display outstanding intra- and extracellular stability as well as biorecognition capacity. Imaging the internalization and intracellular dynamics of a transmembrane cell receptor, the CB1 brain cannabinoid receptor, both in HEK293 cells and in neurons, illustrates the breadth of potential applications of these nanoprobes.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.