title: Bioconjugated quantum dots as fluorescent probes for bioanalytical applications.
abstract: Quantum dots (QDs) are inorganic semiconductor nanocrystals that have unique optoelectronic properties responsible for bringing together multidisciplinary research to impel their potential bioanalytical applications. In recent years, the many remarkable optical properties of QDs have been combined with the ability to make them increasingly biocompatible and specific to the target. With this great development, QDs hold particular promise as the next generation of fluorescent probes. This review describes the developments in functionalizing QDs making use of different bioconjugation and capping approaches. The progress offered by QDs is evidenced by examples on QD-based biosensing, biolabeling, and delivery of therapeutic agents. In the near future, QD technology still faces some challenges towards the envisioned broad bioanalytical purposes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Vassilika Voutes, 71003, Iraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Manuela F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Frasco
authors.forename: Nikos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chaniotakis
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry*; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D045663:Quantum Dots
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D009696:Nucleic Acids