Quantum dots fluorophore labels

Keywords Amplification Fluorescent reporter Fluorophore FRET In vitro In vivo Labeling Lanthanide chelate Multiplexing Nanoparticle Quantum dot Transition metal complex... 

A critical component for almost any miniaturized analytical device is perhaps the detectirm system. Among the possible detection methods and principles, optical detection is the most common in modem bio/chemical analysis. In particular, fluorescence is the most frequently used optical detection method in microfluidic systems. Fluorescence occurs when a fluorophore or quantum dot relaxes to its ground state after being excited. In biotechnology applications, for example, fluorophores or quantum dots can be used to label antibodies which tag molecules of interest in order to visualize their presence. Traditirmally,... 

Fluorophore A fluorophore is an emissive molecule that absorbs a specific incident light and gives an emission fight. Typical fluorophores are small organic dyes, fluorescent proteins, and quantum dots, used to fluorescently label tissues, cells for fluorescence imaging, and spectroscopy. 

Quantum dots have aheady fulfilled some of their promise as groundbreaking biological labels. The tremendous amount of interest in QDs is sure to quickly improve the previous applications and inspire new ones. Organic fluorophores may never be completely supplanted due to their inherently small size, but research in the past five years has shown that QDs offer remarkable advantages. 

I. L. Cytotoxicity of quantum dots used for in vitro cellular labeling Role of QD surface ligand, delivery modality, cell type, and direct comparison to organic fluorophores. Bioconjugate Chem. 2013, 24,1570-1583. 

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