In vivo biodistribution and behavior of CdTe/ZnS quantum dots.
The unique features of quantum dots (QDs) make them desirable fluorescent tags for cell and developmental biology applications that require long-term, multitarget, and highly sensitive imaging. In this work, we imaged fluorescent cadmium telluride/zinc sulfide (CdTe/ZnS) QDs in organs, tissues, and cells, and analyzed the mechanism of their lymphatic uptake and cellular distribution. We observed that the fluorescent CdTe/ZnS QDs were internalized by lymph nodes in four cell lines from different tissue sources. We obtained the fluorescence intensity-QD concentrations curve by quantitative analysis. Our results demonstrate that cells containing QDs can complete mitosis normally and that distribution of QDs was uniform across cell types and involved the vesicular transport system, including the endoplasmic reticulum. This capacity for CdTe/ZnS QD targeting provides insights into the applicability and limitations of fluorescent QDs for imaging biological specimens.
School of Basic Medical Sciences.
Yan
Y
Zhao
School of Chinese Materia Medica.
Yue
Y
Zhang
School of Basic Medical Sciences.
Gaofeng
G
Qin
School of Basic Medical Sciences.
Jinjun
J
Cheng
School of Chinese Materia Medica.
Wenhao
W
Zeng
School of Basic Medical Sciences.
Shuchen
S
Liu
School of Basic Medical Sciences.
Hui
H
Kong
School of Basic Medical Sciences.
Xueqian
X
Wang
School of Basic Medical Sciences.
Qingguo
Q
Wang
Center of Scientific Experiment, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
Huihua
H
Qu
D000818:Animals; D019187:Cadmium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008823:Micelles; D008938:Mitosis / Q000187:drug effects; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000067996:RAW 264.7 Cells; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013440:Sulfides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D013691:Tellurium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000187:drug effects; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity
D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D008823:Micelles; D013440:Sulfides; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C031238:zinc sulfide; D013691:Tellurium; C028337:cadmium telluride
biodistribution; fluorescence imaging; lymph nodes; quantum dots