title: Assessment of penetration of quantum dots through in vitro and in vivo human skin using the human skin equivalent model and the tape stripping method.
abstract: Quantum dots (QDs) are rapidly emerging as an important class of nanoparticles (NPs) with potential applications in medicine. However, little is known about penetration of QDs through human skin. This study investigated skin penetration of QDs in both in vivo and in vitro human skin. Using the tape stripping method, this study demonstrates for the first time that QDs can actually penetrate through the stratum corneum (SC) of human skin. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and energy diverse X-ray (EDX) analysis showed accumulation of QDs in the SC of a human skin equivalent model (HSEM) after dermal exposure to QDs. These findings suggest possible transdermal absorption of QDs after dermal exposure over a relatively long period of time.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Signaling and Nanomedicine, Department of Dermatology and Division of Brain Korea 21 Project for Biomedical Science, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Jae Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Jung Pyo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jin Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyung Hee
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Kui Lea
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Meyoung-Kon
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Son
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008954:Models, Biological; D045663:Quantum Dots; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012869:Skin Absorption; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence