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Updated: May 7, 2026

Solubilization and Bio-conjugation of Quantum Dots and Bacterial Toxicity Assays by Growth Curve and Plate Count
Published on: July 11, 2012
Autophagy-sensitized cytotoxicity of quantum dots in PC12 cells
Xiaoming Li1, Nan Chen, Yuanyuan Su
1Division of Physical Biology and Bioimaging Center, Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201800, China.
Abstract:
Both CdTe and CdTe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots induce similar levels of autophagy in PC12 and HEK293 cells, while the former exhibits higher toxicity. Low levels of cadmium ions are not sufficient to induce either autophagy or cytotoxicity by themselves. Interestingly, the combination of cadmium ions and CdTe/CdS/ZnS mimics the toxic effect of CdTe, suggesting that autophagy sensitizes cells to cadmium ions.

