Facile and large-scale synthesis of graphene quantum dots for selective targeting and imaging of cell nucleus and mitochondria

Green synthesis, biomedical and biotechnological applications of carbon and graphene quantum dots. A review

“…Graphene quantum dots modified with polyethyleneimine or (3-carboxyl) phenyl bromide phosphine have been prepared via eco-friendly, rapid, cost-effective and large-scale preparative strategy (Fan et al 2019). The graphene quantum dots-polyethyleneimine was generated by a simple hydrothermal procedure, and then (3-carboxyl) phenyl bromide phosphine was conjugated to the graphene quantum dotspolyethyleneimine through the amide linkage; average sizes of the prepared graphene quantum dots-polyethyleneimine and -(3-carboxyl) phenyl bromide phosphine being 3.75 and 3.25 nm, respectively.…”

“…The graphene quantum dots-polyethyleneimine was generated by a simple hydrothermal procedure, and then (3-carboxyl) phenyl bromide phosphine was conjugated to the graphene quantum dotspolyethyleneimine through the amide linkage; average sizes of the prepared graphene quantum dots-polyethyleneimine and -(3-carboxyl) phenyl bromide phosphine being 3.75 and 3.25 nm, respectively. These two composites showed significant optical property, low cytotoxicity and selective targeting and imaging characteristics for cell nucleus or mitochondria, suggesting applications, including cell nucleus imaging or mitochondria imaging in vivo and in vitro for diagnosis and therapy (Fan et al 2019).…”

Graphene Quantum Dots as Flourishing Nanomaterials for Bio-Imaging, Therapy Development, and Micro-Supercapacitors

“…GQDs are convenient and desirable agents in bio-imaging due to their admirable tunable PL characteristics, chemical inertness, high photo-stability, and excellent biocompatibility properties [ 64 ]. Moreover, GQDs hold superior properties compared to their counterparts of other carbon-derived materials [ 30 ] like noteworthy resistance to photo-bleaching that facilitates good bio-imaging purposes [ 110 ]. As a case in point, it was revealed that due to crystalline structure, GQDs are superior to carbon nanodots (CNDs) when irradiated with a Xenon lamp in terms of their bleaching activity and stability [ 97 ].…”

“…The GQD-TPP viability was shown to be higher than GQD-PEI counterparts though both subjects were confirmed to be cyto-compatible. Thus, the low toxicity, low-cost properties when combined with photostable GQDs, this substance was recognized as a great candidate for prospective cell targeting and monitoring agents [ 110 ]. Another strategy to construct a bio-imaging platform for cell nuclei was proposed by Kumawat and coworkers.…”

“…Later on, when Fan et al studied the GQDs-TPP (GQDs-phenyl bromide phosphine) as a targeted mitochondria imaging agent, they expected the lipophilic TPP to cumulate in the mitochondria for targeted imaging. Expectedly, nuclear and mitochondrial imaging was performed without any cytotoxic side effects [ 110 ].…”