Biomedical applications of Quantum dots

Asad Ali, Usama Ahmad, Juber Akhtar

Faculty of Pharmacy, Integral University

Abstract: A semiconductor particle whose all three dimensions are in the range of 1 to 10 nm length scale are referred to as quantum dots. Quantum dots are also known as Qdots or fluorescent semiconductor nanocrystals. From the past two decades they have found their place from electronic materials science to numerous biological applications.
One approach to make Quantum dots is that they can be made as colloidal solutions. In this procedure material precursors are reacted in the presence of a stabilizing agent. The function of stabilizing material is to hold on the growth of the particle and keep it within the quantum limits.
Measurement of Quantum dot can be done by Electronic Absorption Spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Line-broadening of X-ray diffraction lines of quantum dot powders.
Quantum dots have excellent ability for the detection of tens to hundred of cancer biomarker in blood assay, on cancer tissue biopsies, or as contrast agent for medical imaging.
Quantum dots could open way for knowing the pathophysiology of cancer as they have been already employed to study the migration of cancer cell in vitro, monitoring the metastasis of quantum dots labeled cell in vivo. The near future is also likely to see advances in the use of quantum dots to image and screen for cancer.
The new generations of Quantum Dots have great potential for the study of intracellular processes at the single-molecule level, high-resolution cellular imaging, tumor targeting, and diagnostics.