title: Evaluating pharmacokinetics and toxicity of luminescent quantum dots.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Luminescent quantum dots (QDs) are widely utilized in the field of biology and medicine due to their excellent optical properties. The ultimate goal of QD research is the fabrication of favorable luminescent nanoprobes or nanocarriers. However, their toxicity and pharmacokinetics, in the human body, are of crucial concern and must be thoroughly investigated before QDs are used in clinical applications.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review summarizes the recent developments of toxicity and pharmacokinetics with QDs. Furthermore, the article explains the pathway of QD absorption in living systems as well as the distribution and clearance of QDs. The authors also highlight the effects of the physicochemical characteristics of QDs on the toxicity and pharmacokinetics in animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the toxicity and pharmacokinetics of different luminescent QDs have been investigated, most of these studies have focused on the behaviors of II B-VI A and III A-V A QDs in rodents. Investigations of the IV A QDs are still in an early stage. One other shortcoming in the current research is the lack of different animal models, especially primates, which are needed in addition to the current rodent models.
authors.affiliation: University of North Dakota, Department of Chemistry , Grand Forks, North Dakota, ND 58202 , USA +1 701 777 3610 ; +1 701 777 2331 ; jzhao@chem.und.edu.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Julia Xiaojun
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006801:Humans; D023421:Models, Animal; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D010599:Pharmacokinetics; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations