title: CdSe/CdS semiconductor quantum rods as robust fluorescent probes for paraffin-embedded tissue imaging.
abstract: Immunofluorescence techniques on formalin fixed paraffin-embedded sections allow for the evaluation of the expression and spatial distribution of specific markers in patient tissue specimens or for monitoring the fate of labeled cells after in vivo injection. This technique suffers however from the auto-fluorescence background signal of the embedded tissue that eventually confounds the analysis. Here we show that rod-like semiconductor nanocrystals (QRs), intramuscularly injected in living mice, could be clearly detected by confocal microscopy in formalin fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Despite the low amount of QRs amount injected (25 picomoles), these were clearly visible after 24 h in the muscle sections and their fluorescence signal was stronger than that of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) similarly functionalized and in the case of QRs only, the signal lasted even after 21 days after the injection.
authors: Nanoscience Institute of CNR, National Nanotechnology Laboratory, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: Zacheo
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Quarta
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: Mangoni
authors: Pier Paolo
authors: PP
authors: Pompa
authors: Rosanna
authors: R
authors: Mastria
authors: Maurizio C
authors: MC
authors: Capogrossi
authors: Ross
authors: R
authors: Rinaldi
authors: Teresa
authors: T
authors: Pellegrino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019187:Cadmium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D049449:Luminescence; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012666:Semiconductors; D013440:Sulfides / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D018036:Selenium Compounds; D013440:Sulfides; C034939:cadmium sulfide; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C058667:cadmium selenide