Fluorescent II-VI semiconductor quantum dots in living cells: nonlinear microspectroscopy in an optical tweezers system

J Phys Chem B. 2008 Mar 6;112(9):2734-7. doi: 10.1021/jp0758465. Epub 2008 Feb 8.

Abstract

In this work we used a setup consisting of an optical tweezers combined with a nonlinear microspectroscopy system to perform scanning microscopy and obtain emission spectra using two photon excited (TPE) luminescence of captured single living cells labeled with core-shell fluorescent semiconductor quantum dots (QDs). The QDs were obtained via colloidal synthesis in aqueous medium with an adequate physiological resulting pH. Sodium polyphosphate was used as the stabilizing agent. The results obtained show the potential presented by this system as well as by these II-VI fluorescent semiconductor quantum dots to perform spectroscopy in living trapped cells in any neighborhood and dynamically observe the cell chemical reactions in real time.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cadmium Compounds / chemistry
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / chemistry*
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / cytology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Microspectrophotometry / methods
  • Optical Tweezers*
  • Quantum Dots*
  • Selenium Compounds / chemistry
  • Silicon / chemistry
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • Spectrum Analysis, Raman
  • Sulfides / chemistry
  • Tellurium / chemistry
  • Titanium / chemistry
  • Zinc Compounds / chemistry

Substances

  • Cadmium Compounds
  • Selenium Compounds
  • Sulfides
  • Zinc Compounds
  • cadmium sulfide
  • titanium dioxide
  • Titanium
  • Tellurium
  • zinc selenide
  • cadmium telluride
  • Silicon