有机体系中II–VI族量子点的制备及其合成机理

量子点由于其量子效应而具有既不同于体相材料又有别于一般分子的优异光学性能,因此在生物医学领域,特别是在生物标记中具有良好的应用前景。II–VI族量子点由于其荧光发射波长几乎覆盖了整个可见光区而引起人们的关注,其中在有机体系中合成油溶性II–VI族量子点具有反应产物稳定,量子产率高,并且可以制备性能更加优异的核–壳结构的量子点（CdSe/ZnS, CdSe/CdS等）等优点,因此在过去的十几年中被广泛而深入地研究。本文重点综述了在有机体系中,单分散、高荧光性能II–VI族量子点的制备方法——高温热解法及其合成机理的研究进展,并对今后的研究方向作了展望。     

CdSe量子点对雄性泥鳅的毒性效应研究

量子点（Quantum Dots,QDs）,也称纳米微晶体,由于其独特的荧光特性越来越受到研究者的关注.近年来,量子点的生物学毒性效应及其环境影响成为新的研究热点.本文通过活体实验,以雄性泥鳅为模型动物,以腹腔注射为染毒方式,研究了量子点的雌激素干扰效应、毒物动力学行为以及靶器官的氧化应激指标.结果显示,QDs能够显著抑制E2诱导产生的卵黄蛋白原（Vtg）含量,性腺切片的观察结果与其一致.通过游离Cd^2＋和其他几种纳米材料的对比实验,认为量子点对Vtg的抑制表达是游离Cd^2＋和QDs颗粒对E2的非特异性吸附的共同作用结果.毒物动力学结果表明,腹腔注射1h后,肌肉、骨头、肠、血液和性腺中QDs含量达到最大浓度（Cmax）,随后呈降低趋势 而在肝脏和肾脏中,QDs含量呈增加趋势,说明QDs在动物体内的半衰期较长,在体内能够持续存留.通过对靶器官肝脏相关抗氧化酶活性的测定结果发现,量子点由于壳层对Cd^2＋的保护,对抗氧化体系影响较小.本实验对量子点毒性的综合评价为其在活体生物学的应用提供了一定的参考.     

Recent Advances in the Synthesis of MXene Quantum Dots

Quantum dots (QDs) with ultrahigh surface-to-volume ratio, abundant edge active sites, forceful quantum confinement and other remarkable physio-chemical properties, have garnered considerable research interest. MXene QDs, as an emerging member of them, have also attracted wide attention in the last six years, and shown great achievements in many fields. This critical review systematically summarizes the various methods for synthesizing MXene QDs. The characteristics and corresponding applications of various MXene QDs are also presented. The advantages and disadvantages of various synthetic methods, and the limitations of corresponding MXene QDs are compared and highlighted. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of synthesizing MXene QDs are proposed. We hope this review will enlighten researchers to the fabrication of more advancing and promising MXene-based QDs with proprietary properties in diverse applications.     

Sub-10 nm Aggregation-Induced Emission Quantum Dots Assembled by Microfluidics for Enhanced Tumor Targeting and Reduced Retention in the Liver

A robust platform is developed to assemble sub-10 nm organic aggregation-induced emission (AIE) particles using four different AIE luminogens (AIEgens) with emissions from green to the second near-infrared window (NIR-II). They are called AIE quantum dots (QDs) to distinguish from typical AIE dots which are larger than 25 nm. Compared with AIE dots that are larger than 25 nm, AIE QDs allow more efficient cellular uptake and imaging without surface modification of any membrane-penetrating peptides or other targeting molecules. NIR-II AIEgens, which have nearly no background fluorescence from organisms, are used to demonstrate that AIE QDs can achieve high contrast at the tumor as small as 80 mm³ and evade the liver more efficiently than AIE dots. AIE QDs hold a good promise for sensitive and precise diagnosis of the latent solid tumor in clinical medicine with much lower off-targeting to the liver than AIE dots.     

Effects of nanoscale quantum dots in male Chinese loaches (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Misgurnus anguillicaudatus</Emphasis>): Estrogenic interference action,toxicokinetics and oxidative stress

Quantum dots (QDs) have more and more attention as a novel example of nanocrystals due to their unique fluorescent characteristics. Recently, the toxicity and the potential environmental effects of QDs have become a research hotspot. In this work, in vivo endocrine disrupting effect, toxicokinetics and oxidative stress of QDs were characterized following the intraperitoneal dosing in Chinese loaches. Vitellogenin (Vtg) levels induced by E2 decreased significantly when administrated with the mixture of QDs and E2, which was consistent with the observations of histopathology in testes. The release of free Cd²⁺ from QDs and the non-specific adsorption of E2 by QDs might be the joint factors contributing to the inhibition of Vtg expression induced by E2 in the male Chinese loaches. In the muscle, bone, intestines, blood and testis, CdSe QDs reached the maximal concentration (C _max) in approximately 1-h postinjection and subsequently presented downtrend with the prolonged time. Whereas, there were even increasing tendencies of CdSe QDs’ concentrations in the liver and kidney. It is educible that CdSe QDs can be persistent at least for 7 days, indicating the overall half-life of CdSe QDs in the fish body is very long. The measurement of hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and reduced glutathione (GSH) content indicate that QDs have smaller effects on the antioxidative system of the organisms compared with free Cd²⁺ due to the effective prevention of the release of Cd by PEG coating of QDs. The comprehensive evaluation of QDs’ toxicity in the present study provides an essential and general framework towards more focused research on the elucidation of the biological effects of QDs in vivo.     

Investigating the Photostability of Quantum Dots at the Single‐Molecule Level

Quantum dots (QDs) have shown great potential to provide spatial, temporal, and structural information for biological systems. However, blinking, photobleaching, and spectral blueshift are adverse effects on their practical applications in biomedical research. An investigation of the effects of six reducing agents including cysteine (Cys), 1,4‐dithiothreitol (DTT), ethyl gallate (EG), L ‐glutathione (GSH), mercaptoacetic acid (MAA), and thiourea (TU) on the photostability of single QDs was studied. Our experiments demonstrate that both DTT and EG effectively inhibit blinking, photobleaching, and spectral blueshift. GSH molecules block blinking and photobleaching of QDs. The other reagents, Cys, MAA, and TU, only have the ability to counteract blinking. Possible explanations are given on the basis of research evidence. The results suggest possibilities for significant improvements in QDs for biological applications by adjusting the environmental conditions.     

聚合物/量子点纳米复合材料的制备

量子点具有优异的光电性能,聚合物具有性质稳定、质轻、可加工性好等优点;将聚合物和量子点复合可综合两者的优点,同时还可使量子点的稳定性得以大幅度提高。得到的聚合物/量子点纳米复合材料应用领域广;其制备方法主要有简单易操作的直接分散法、在聚合物中原位生成量子点的原位生成法、在有量子点存在的聚合场所引发有机单体聚合的原位聚合法、层-层组装法以及在量子点表面直接修饰聚合物的表面直接修饰法。本文就这些制备方法进行了概要综述,并对各种方法的特点进行了总结。     

水溶性量子点的制备及应用

高量子产率的水溶性量子点在众多领域如发光晶体、薄膜光激发器件,尤其是生物荧光标记中展现出巨大的潜在应用价值.量子点荧光明亮、稳定,激发光谱宽,发射光谱窄,且发射波长可通过改变材料的粒径大小和组成来调控,因而在生物样本尤其是活组织的多色成像中极为有用,能有效避免因样本自身发光和光散射导致的信号干扰.量子点的研究已成为一门新兴的交叉科学,是目前最有吸引力的研究领域之一.近年来,水溶性量子点作生物荧光标记物的研究取得了长足的进展.本文简述了量子点的结构特征及光学特性,重点综述了水溶性量子点的制备方法及应用研究进展,特别是它在生物、医学中作荧光探针的最新研究.     

化学合成荧光量子点在指纹显现中的应用

简要阐述了量子点的光学特性、制备方法及其在指纹显现中的应用。重点介绍了Ⅱ~Ⅵ族的CdS基、CdTe基、CdSe基、ZnSe基量子点和Ⅲ~Ⅴ族的InP量子点的化学合成、修饰及其在指纹显现中的研究进展,最后介绍了第Ⅳ族C、Si量子点的研究现状,并对其在指纹显现中的潜在应用作了展望。     

Voltammetric determination of electronic structure of quantum dots

Electronic structure plays an important role in determining the physiochemical properties of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs). Fabrication of high-performance QD devices relies on the reliable determination of electronic structure of QDs. Voltammetry enables the easily accessible detection on the energy levels of QDs. Herein, the fundamentals of voltammetric detection are first reviewed and discussed. Since the common ways used for tailoring electronic structure of QDs include tuning size, surface engineering, and varying composition, we next summarize the recent research on using voltammetry for probing the energy levels when studying these three effects.     

Quantum dots as contrast agents for in vivo tumor imaging: progress and issues

Quantum dots (QDs) have shown promise as imaging agents in cancer, heart disease, and gene therapy research. This review focuses on the design of QDs, and modification using peptides and proteins for mediated targeting of tissues for fluorescence imaging of tumors in vivo. Recent examples from the literature are used to illustrate the potential of QDs as effective imaging agents. The distribution and ultimate fate of QDs in vivo is considered, and considerations of designs that minimize potential toxicity are presented.     

量子点在生物分析及医学诊断中的研究与应用

量子点(quantum dots,QDs)是近年来发展起来的一种优异的新型荧光纳米材料,在生物分析及医学诊断研究中得到了广泛应用,并取得了一系列重要研究成果。本文简介了过去10年中量子点的合成和表面功能性修饰的发展,并重点介绍其在病原体检测、生物芯片、生物分子相互作用、生物传感器、基因沉默、细胞成像、靶向药物传输、光动力学治疗和植物学研究等领域的研究现状。同时,对量子点的应用前景及研究方向进行了评述和展望。     

Fluorescent quantum dots for microbial imaging

QDs (Semiconductor QDs, CDs, SiQDs, and Pdots) are used in imaging microorganisms including viruses, bacteria, and fungi.     

The Emerging Use of Quantum Dots in Analysis

Abstract

The optical properties of quantum dots (QDs) have made them attractive materials in diverse fields of application. Since water‐soluble derivatives were obtained, quantum dots have attracted intensive research interest in sensing, diagnosis, imaging, and optical tracking. The analytes that have been targeted span ions, small chemical molecules, proteins, nucleic acids, and cells. The fluorescence of functionalized QDs can be quenched, enhanced, or even ‘switch’ on and off in different cases. However, the mechanisms behind these various responses are not yet all fully understood. This review gives an overview of the emerging use of QDs in analysis. Typical examples, in particular in relation to the discussion on mechanisms are highlighted.     

Quantum dots protect against MPP+-induced neurotoxicity in a cell model of Parkinson’s disease through autophagy induction

Autophagy is a basic cellular process that decomposes damaged organelles and aberrant proteins. Dysregulation of autophagy is implicated in pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's disease(PD). Pharmacological compounds that stimulate autophagy can provide neuroprotection in models of PD. Nanoparticles have emerged as regulators of autophagy and have been tested in adjuvant therapy for diseases. In this present study, we explore the effects of quantum dots(QDs) that can induce autophagy in a cellular model of Parkinson's disease. Cd Te/Cd S/Zn S QDs protect differentiated rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells from MPP+-induced cell damage, including reduced viability, apoptosis and accumulation of α-Synuclein, a characteristic protein of PD. The protective function of QDs is autophagy-dependent. In addition, we investigate the interaction between quantum dots and autophagic pathways and identify beclin1 as an essential factor for QDs-induced autophagy. Our results reveal new promise of QDs in the theranostic of neurodegenerative diseases.     

量子点在生物化学分析中的应用

量子点（quantumdots,QDs）由于其优异的光学和电学特性,作为新型的荧光试剂探针对生物大分子进行标记,成为近年来迅速发展的纳米材料在生化分析领域的重要应用之一。文章简述了量子点的基本特性,对制备和修饰量子点的各种方法进行比较总结,重点阐述量子点在生物化学分析中的新进展,尤其是对生物大分子的识别和标记作了详细的总结,并提出研究中存在的一些待解决的问题以及今后量子点的研究方向。     

CdTe量子点与蛋白质相互作用的荧光猝灭效应

本文在水热法合成水溶性CdTe及核壳结构CdTe/CdS量子点的基础上,分别研究了细胞色素c对CdTe量子点及CdTe/CdS核壳量子点荧光的猝灭效应和CdTe量子点对牛血清白蛋白荧光的猝灭效应,并阐述了猝灭机理。结果显示,细胞色素c对CdTe量子点的荧光猝灭效应具有一定的粒径依赖性,粒径越小,猝灭效应越强;细胞色素c对CdTe/CdS核壳量子点的猝灭效应比对CdTe量子点的更强,揭示了受激电子的表面传递机理。CdTe量子点通过松散牛血清白蛋白的螺旋结构而猝灭其荧光。     

Surface Chemistry Studies of Quantum Dots (QDs) Modified with Surfactants

Since luminescent CdSe quantum dots (QDs) have shown great potential in biological labeling, the surface chemistry behavior of QDs at interfaces is of great research interest. In the present study, CdSe QDs with green luminescence were modified with hydrophobic chains of varying lengths [from C6 to C18]. These modified QDs can be utilized to form stable monolayers at the air/water interface. Surface pressure-area isotherms of modified QDs have been measured and limiting molecular areas have also been extrapolated in order to analyze the size of the QDs. UV absorption spectra of modified QDs at various surface pressures were also determined. Surface chemistry, as well as the topographic properties, of modified QDs in Langmuir and L-B films was discussed.     

Bioconjugated quantum dots as fluorescent probes for bioanalytical applications

Quantum dots (QDs) are inorganic semiconductor nanocrystals that have unique optoelectronic properties responsible for bringing together multidisciplinary research to impel their potential bioanalytical applications. In recent years, the many remarkable optical properties of QDs have been combined with the ability to make them increasingly biocompatible and specific to the target. With this great development, QDs hold particular promise as the next generation of fluorescent probes. This review describes the developments in functionalizing QDs making use of different bioconjugation and capping approaches. The progress offered by QDs is evidenced by examples on QD-based biosensing, biolabeling, and delivery of therapeutic agents. In the near future, QD technology still faces some challenges towards the envisioned broad bioanalytical purposes.      

Tuning Optical Properties and Photocatalytic Activities of Carbon‐based “Quantum Dots” Through their Surface Groups

We report recent progress in tuning optical properties and photocatalytic activities of carbon‐based quantum dots (carbon‐based QDs) through their surface groups. It is increasingly clear that the properties of carbon‐based QDs are more dependent on their surface groups than on their size. The present challenge remains as to how to control the type, number, and conformation of the heterogeneous groups on the surface of carbon‐based QDs when considering their target applications. By reviewing the related achievements, this personal account aims to help us understand the roles different surface groups play in tuning the properties of carbon‐based QDs. A number of significant accomplishments have demonstrated that surface groups possess strong power in engineering electronic structure and controlling photogenerated charge behaviors of carbon‐based QDs. However, effective strategies for modifying carbon‐based QDs with diverse heterogeneous groups are still needed.