title: A fast synthesis of near-infrared emitting CdTe/CdSe quantum dots with small hydrodynamic diameter for in vivo imaging probes.
abstract: Highly luminescent near-infrared (NIR) emitting CdTe/CdSe quantum dots (QDs) were prepared through a fast and convenient method, and a new type of multivalent polymer ligands was used as the surface substituents to prepare highly stable hydrophilic QDs with small sizes. The well-defined CdTe/CdSe QDs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, respectively. The as-prepared CdTe/CdSe QDs were photostable with high PL quantum yields (QYs) (up to 66% at room temperature), low toxicity to cells at experimental dosages, and the QDs' fluorescence emissions were tunable between 700 and 820 nm. Furthermore, fluorescence imaging using CdTe/CdSe QDs conjugated with the AS1411 aptamer (targeting nucleolin) probe in cancer cells was reported, and the CdTe/CdSe QDs were also successfully applied for the fluorescence imaging of living animals. Our preliminary results illustrated that the CdTe/CdSe NIR-QDs with small sizes would be an alternative probe for ultrasensitive, multicolor, and multiplex applications, especially for in vivo imaging applications.
authors: CAS Key Lab of Health Informatics, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, PR China.
authors: Dehong
authors: D
authors: Hu
authors: Pengfei
authors: P
authors: Zhang
authors: Ping
authors: P
authors: Gong
authors: Shuhong
authors: S
authors: Lian
authors: Yangyang
authors: Y
authors: Lu
authors: Duyang
authors: D
authors: Gao
authors: Lintao
authors: L
authors: Cai
mesh_terms: D019187:Cadmium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007259:Infrared Rays; D008422:Materials Testing; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D015335:Molecular Probes / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D045663:Quantum Dots; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D003287:Contrast Media; D015335:Molecular Probes; D018036:Selenium Compounds; C058667:cadmium selenide