Biomedical and biological applications of quantum dots

Abstract

Quantum dots (QDs) as colloidal nanocrystalline semiconductors have exceptional photophysical properties, due to their quantum confinement effects. Depending on their sizes and chemical compositions, QDs emit different wavelengths over a broad range of the light spectrum, from visible to infrared. QDs are typically extensively used for optical applications due to their high extinction coefficient. This article reviews biomedical applications of QDs, especially the application of QDs in cell targeting, delivery, diagnostics, cancer therapy, and imaging for cancer research.

Quantum dot-based lateral-flow immunoassay for rapid detection of rhein using specific egg yolk antibodies

“…By contrast, QDs show excellent properties, including high degrees of stability, against photobleaching and/or chemical degradation, as well as high levels of fluorescent quantum yield [29]. According to our data, development of the LCS assay using QDs as reporters for qualitative detection of RHE resulted in high degrees of both specificity and stability [30,31].…”

Pharmaceutical and biomedical applications of quantum dots

“…QDs constitute the part of technological future having intriguing and useful properties. They have ability to emit light when any source of energy excites their electrons (Abbasi et al 2015, Probst et al 2013, Bera et al 2010, Khalid and Kontis 2008.…”

Fluorescent detection of point mutation via ligase reaction assisted by quantum dots and magnetic nanoparticle-based probes

“…Quantum dots have been found to be superior to traditional organic dyes as uorescent markers with numerous advantageous features, such as longer lifetime, high extinction coefficient, high quantum yields, photostability, negligible phototoxicity and broad absorption spectrum but narrow emission spectra that is tuneable by changing the crystallite size. 1,[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] Quantum dots also have a brighter emission and a higher signal to noise ratio compared with organic dyes. The brightness of quantum dots compared to organic dyes are 10-20 times brighter.…”

“…31 Lastly, the multicolour property of quantum dots allows the use of many probes to track several targets simultaneously. 1,[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]28 Nanoparticle-enhanced biosensors have been extensively researched. Of all nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles are proving to be a versatile tool, an excellent case in point being in DNA bioassays, where magnetic nanoparticles were oen used for optimization of the hybridization and separation of target DNA.…”