Qdots or Quantum Dots are semiconductor nanocrystals (10-20nm in size) that were discovered in the 1980s. QDots fluoresce with sharper peaks, extremely bright, and resistant to photobleaching. Each crystal’s structure and size can be fine tuned to maximize conductance which translates into fluorescence intensity and wavelength shifts.
The size of Qdots make them interesting in biological imaging, as they can be delivered into cells via transfection. Using optical slicing, they can be tracked deep within tissue, and their photostability allows for long-term imaging and real-time tracking. Some studies have employed QDots within animals for 4 months.
The problem in the early 2000's was toxicity of these bright fluors in living cells. QDots are CdSe crystals that are highly toxic under UV illumination. In the absence of radiation, QDots are essentially inert. More research and uses of QDots will offer better insight into the applications possible by these bright, stable crystals.
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