Vol.:(0123456789)
Topics in Current Chemistry (2020) 378:35
https://doi.org/10.1007/s41061-020-0296-6
1 3
REVIEW
Quantum Dot Bioconjugates for Diagnostic Applications
María Díaz‑González
1
· Alfredo de la Escosura‑Muñiz
1
·
Maria Teresa Fernandez‑Argüelles
2
· Francisco Javier García Alonso
3
·
Jose Manuel Costa‑Fernandez
2
Received: 30 December 2019 / Accepted: 29 February 2020 / Published online: 26 March 2020
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Abstract
Quantum dots (QDs) are a special type of engineered nanomaterials with outstanding optoelectronic properties that make them as a very promising alternative to conventional luminescent dyes in biomedical applications, including biomolecule (BM)
targeting, luminescence imaging and drug delivery. A key parameter to ensure successful biomedical applications of QDs is the appropriate surface modification, i.e.
the surface of the nanomaterials should be modified with the appropriate functional
groups to ensure stability in aqueous solutions and it should be conjugated with recognition elements capable of ensuring an efficient tagging of the BMs of interest. In
this review we summarize the most relevant strategies used for surface modification
of QDs and for their conjugation to BMs in preparation of their application in nanoplatforms for luminescent BM sensing and imaging-guided targeting. The applications of conjugations of photoluminescent QDs with different BMs in both in vitro
and in vivo chemical sensing, immunoassays or luminescence imaging are reviewed.
Recent progress in the application of functionalized QDs in ultrasensitive detection in bioanalysis, diagnostics and imaging strategies are reported. Finally, some
key future research goals in the progress of bioconjugation of QDs for diagnosis are
identified, including novel synthetic approaches, the need for exhaustive characterization of bioconjugates and the design of signal amplification schemes.
Keywords Biosensing · Diagnostics · Luminescence · Nanoparticles · Quantum
dots · Surface functionalization
* Jose Manuel Costa-Fernandez
jcostafe@uniovi.es
Extended author information available on the last page of the article
133
Reprinted from the journal
Chapter 5 was originally published as Díaz‑González, M., Escosura‑Muñiz, A. de la, Fernandez‑Argüelles,
M. T., Alonso, F. J. G. & Costa‑Fernandez, J. M. Topics in Current Chemistry (2020) 378: 35.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s41061-020-0296-6.
Topics in Current Chemistry (2020) 378:35
https://doi.org/10.1007/s41061-020-0296-6
1 3
REVIEW
Quantum Dot Bioconjugates for Diagnostic Applications
María Díaz‑González
1
· Alfredo de la Escosura‑Muñiz
1
·
Maria Teresa Fernandez‑Argüelles
2
· Francisco Javier García Alonso
3
·
Jose Manuel Costa‑Fernandez
2
Received: 30 December 2019 / Accepted: 29 February 2020 / Published online: 26 March 2020
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Abstract
Quantum dots (QDs) are a special type of engineered nanomaterials with outstanding optoelectronic properties that make them as a very promising alternative to conventional luminescent dyes in biomedical applications, including biomolecule (BM)
targeting, luminescence imaging and drug delivery. A key parameter to ensure successful biomedical applications of QDs is the appropriate surface modification, i.e.
the surface of the nanomaterials should be modified with the appropriate functional
groups to ensure stability in aqueous solutions and it should be conjugated with recognition elements capable of ensuring an efficient tagging of the BMs of interest. In
this review we summarize the most relevant strategies used for surface modification
of QDs and for their conjugation to BMs in preparation of their application in nanoplatforms for luminescent BM sensing and imaging-guided targeting. The applications of conjugations of photoluminescent QDs with different BMs in both in vitro
and in vivo chemical sensing, immunoassays or luminescence imaging are reviewed.
Recent progress in the application of functionalized QDs in ultrasensitive detection in bioanalysis, diagnostics and imaging strategies are reported. Finally, some
key future research goals in the progress of bioconjugation of QDs for diagnosis are
identified, including novel synthetic approaches, the need for exhaustive characterization of bioconjugates and the design of signal amplification schemes.
Keywords Biosensing · Diagnostics · Luminescence · Nanoparticles · Quantum
dots · Surface functionalization
* Jose Manuel Costa-Fernandez
jcostafe@uniovi.es
Extended author information available on the last page of the article
133
Reprinted from the journal
Chapter 5 was originally published as Díaz‑González, M., Escosura‑Muñiz, A. de la, Fernandez‑Argüelles,
M. T., Alonso, F. J. G. & Costa‑Fernandez, J. M. Topics in Current Chemistry (2020) 378: 35.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s41061-020-0296-6.