title: Semiconductor quantum dot/albumin complex is a long-life and highly photostable endosome marker.
abstract: For the purpose of selecting the efficient dispersion condition of hydrophilic semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) in biological buffers, the dispersion of the QDs mixed with a serum albumin from 9 different species or an ovalbumin was compared by a fluorescence intensity analysis. The QDs mixed with sheep serum albumin (SSA) showed the highest fluorescence of all when the mixtures were dissolved in Dulbecco's MEM. QD/SSA complexes were accumulated in the endosome/lysosome of Vero cells and the fluorescence could be detected over a 5-day post-incubation period. The photostability of QD/SSA complexes associated with the endosomes was detectable, at least, 30 times as long as that of fluorescein-labeled dextran involved in endosomes. QD/SSA complex, therefore, can be used as a long-life and highly photostable endosome marker.
authors.affiliation: Domestic Research Fellow, Japan Science and Technology Corporation, 4-1-8 Honmachi, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan. hanaki@ri.imcj.go.jp
authors.forename: Ken-ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hanaki
authors.forename: Asami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Momo
authors.forename: Taisuke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oku
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Komoto
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maenosono
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D002455:Cell Division; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D011992:Endosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D012666:Semiconductors; D012756:Sheep; D013045:Species Specificity; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013997:Time Factors; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D015415:Biomarkers