Micro-/nano-fluidic devices and <i>in vivo</i> fluorescence imaging based on quantum dots for cytologic diagnosis.

Abstract

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) possess attractive merits over traditional organic dyes, such as tunable emission, narrow emission spectra and good resistance against optical bleaching, and play a vital role in biosensing and bioimaging for cytologic diagnoses. Microfluidic technology is a potentially useful strategy, as it provides a rapid platform for tracing of disease markers. <i>In vivo</i> fluorescence imaging (FI) based on QDs has become popular for the analysis of complex biological processes. We herein report the applications of multifunctional fluorescent QDs as sensitive probes for diagnoses on cancer medicine and stem cell therapy <i>via</i> microfluidic chips and <i>in vivo</i> imaging.