Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

From tumor regression grading to interpretable endpoints in neoadjuvant oncology.

NPJ precision oncology·2026
Same author

Multi-omics Signature Predicts Anti-EGFR Therapy Benefit in Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases: A Multi-center Cohort Study.

Current cancer drug targets·2026
Same author

Tunable electrostatic interactions of lipid-coated quantum dots with biological membranes.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Adherence to 24-hour movement guidelines and mortality risks in US cancer survivors: a national cohort study.

Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer·2026
Same author

Efficacy of Renin-Angiotensin System Inhibitors in Long-Term Oncologic Outcomes of Patients With Stage II/III Colon Cancer and Hypertension: A Target Trial Emulation.

JCO oncology practice·2026
Same author

Prognostic value of quantitative multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging parameters and histopathologic features for disease-free survival in locally advanced non-mucinous rectal adenocarcinoma.

Abdominal radiology (New York)·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 19, 2026

Compact Quantum Dots for Single-molecule Imaging
17:14

Compact Quantum Dots for Single-molecule Imaging

Published on: October 9, 2012

Stable, compact, bright biofunctional quantum dots with improved peptide coating.

Jianmin Xu1, Piotr Ruchala, Yuval Ebenstain

  • 1Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.

The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B
|August 21, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A novel peptide, phytochelatin (PC), makes quantum dots (QDs) water-soluble, enhancing their stability and preserving high quantum yield for biological applications. This peptide enables targeted imaging in cells and safe biodistribution in zebrafish.

More Related Videos

Production and Targeting of Monovalent Quantum Dots
10:16

Production and Targeting of Monovalent Quantum Dots

Published on: October 23, 2014

Biofunctionalized Prussian Blue Nanoparticles for Multimodal Molecular Imaging Applications
11:28

Biofunctionalized Prussian Blue Nanoparticles for Multimodal Molecular Imaging Applications

Published on: April 28, 2015

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 19, 2026

Compact Quantum Dots for Single-molecule Imaging
17:14

Compact Quantum Dots for Single-molecule Imaging

Published on: October 9, 2012

Production and Targeting of Monovalent Quantum Dots
10:16

Production and Targeting of Monovalent Quantum Dots

Published on: October 23, 2014

Biofunctionalized Prussian Blue Nanoparticles for Multimodal Molecular Imaging Applications
11:28

Biofunctionalized Prussian Blue Nanoparticles for Multimodal Molecular Imaging Applications

Published on: April 28, 2015

Area of Science:

  • Bioconjugation chemistry
  • Nanotechnology
  • Quantum dot applications

Background:

  • Quantum dots (QDs) are nanomaterials with unique optical properties but often suffer from poor water solubility and stability.
  • Surface functionalization is crucial for overcoming these limitations and enabling biological applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a water-soluble coating for CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) using a natural peptide.
  • To evaluate the stability, optical properties, and bioconjugation capabilities of the peptide-coated QDs.
  • To demonstrate the utility of these QDs for targeted cellular imaging and in vivo biodistribution studies.

Main Methods:

  • Coating CdSe/ZnS QDs with natural phytochelatin (PC) peptide.
  • Characterization of particle size, colloidal stability, and quantum yield (QY) in aqueous solution.
  • Bioconjugation of fluorescein to PC-QD surface.
  • In vitro targeting of ScFv-fused mouse prion protein in live N2A cells.
  • In vivo biodistribution and toxicity assessment in live zebrafish.

Main Results:

  • Phytochelatin (PC) coating rendered CdSe/ZnS QDs water-soluble with high colloidal stability.
  • The PC coating minimally increased particle radius (0.8-0.9 nm) while preserving high quantum yield in water.
  • Facile bioconjugation with functional groups was achieved.
  • Fluorescein-conjugated PC-QDs demonstrated specific targeting of prion protein in N2A cells with low nonspecific binding.
  • Homogeneous in vivo biodistribution and no significant toxicity were observed in zebrafish.

Conclusions:

  • Natural phytochelatin (PC) is an effective peptide for creating stable, water-soluble quantum dots (QDs).
  • PC-coated QDs maintain excellent optical properties and allow for versatile bioconjugation.
  • These functionalized QDs show promise for targeted bioimaging and have favorable in vivo characteristics.