Application of colloidal semiconductor quantum dots as fluorescent labels for diagnosis of brain glial cancer

Abstract

In this work we present the preparation, characterization and conjugation of colloidal core shell CdS-Cd(OH) 2 quantum dots to health and cancer glial rats living cells in culture media. The particles were obtained via colloidal synthesis in aqueous medium, with final pH=7.3-7.4. Laser Scan Confocal Microscopy (LSCM) and Fluorescence Microscopy were used to evaluate fluorescence intensities and patterns of health and cancer (glioblastoma) glial cells labeled with the quantum dots in different time intervals. Health and cancer glial cells clearly differ in their fluorescence intensities and patterns. These different fluorescence intensities and patterns may be associated to differences concerning cellular membrane and metabolic features of health and cancer cells. The results obtained indicate the potential of the methodology for fast and precise cancer diagnostics.

Applications of Nanotechnology to the Brain and Central Nervous System

“…Consequently, quantum dot tagging may be usable as a tool for not only detecting cancer cells, but also for diagnosing speci fi c cancers. Following up this work, other research has found that the fl uorescent brightness varies between healthy and cancerous brain cells labeled with quantum dots, with the result that quantum dot imaging tools can potentially also be used to help make clearer differentiations between healthy and tumor tissues (Cai et al 2006 ;Farias et al 2006Farias et al , 2008 . Still other research has suggested quantum dot imaging can help identify radiation damage to tissues in cancer treatments, assess tissue viability, and potentially provide other valuable insights into cancer diagnosis and therapy in the brain and central nervous system (Toms et al 2006 ) .…”