Feasibility of Silicon Quantum Dots as a Biomarker for the Bioimaging of Tear Film.
Sidra SarwatFiona Jane StapletonMark Duncan Perry WillcoxPeter B O'MaraRichard David TilleyJohn Justin GoodingMaitreyee RoyPublished in: Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) (2022)
This study investigated the fluorescence and biocompatibility of hydrophilic silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) that are doped with scandium (Sc-SiQDs), copper (Cu-SiQDs), and zinc (Zn-SiQDs), indicating their feasibility for the bioimaging of tear film. SiQDs were investigated for fluorescence emission by the in vitro imaging of artificial tears (TheraTears ® ), using an optical imaging system. A trypan blue exclusion test and MTT assay were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of SiQDs to cultured human corneal epithelial cells. No difference was observed between the fluorescence emission of Sc-SiQDs and Cu-SiQDs at any concentration. On average, SiQDs showed stable fluorescence, while Sc-SiQDs and Cu-SiQDs showed brighter fluorescence emissions than Zn-SiQDs. Cu-SiQDs and Sc-SiQDs showed a broader safe concentration range than Zn-SiQDs. Cu-SiQDs and Zn-SiQDs tend to aggregate more substantially in TheraTears ® than Sc-SiQDs. This study elucidates the feasibility of hydrophilic Sc-SiQDs in studying the tear film's aqueous layer.
Keyphrases
- quantum dots
- energy transfer
- single molecule
- high resolution
- sensitive detection
- heavy metals
- endothelial cells
- metal organic framework
- aqueous solution
- room temperature
- reduced graphene oxide
- high speed
- fluorescence imaging
- fluorescent probe
- photodynamic therapy
- optical coherence tomography
- ionic liquid
- mass spectrometry
- single cell
- rotator cuff