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

How genotoxic is the indoor air environment?

Mutagenesis·2026
Same author

Monocyte-hitchhiking system for the targeted delivery of paclitaxel-loaded PLGA nanoparticles to glioblastoma in mice.

Journal of nanobiotechnology·2026
Same author

3D Liver Models for Genotoxicity Testing.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2025
Same author

Tungsten carbide-cobalt can function as a particle positive control for genotoxicity in vitro in specific cell lines.

Mutagenesis·2025
Same author

Harnessing the power of an advanced in vitro 3D liver model and error-corrected duplex sequencing for the detection of mutational signatures.

Mutagenesis·2025
Same author

Understanding the cellular uptake and genotoxic potential of industrial relevant nanomaterials utilizing electron microscopy and the ToxTracker assay in vitro.

Mutagenesis·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 18, 2026

Compact Quantum Dots for Single-molecule Imaging
17:14

Compact Quantum Dots for Single-molecule Imaging

Published on: October 9, 2012

18.9K

Cell type-dependent changes in CdSe/ZnS quantum dot uptake and toxic endpoints.

Bella B Manshian1, Stefaan J Soenen2, Abdullah Al-Ali2

  • 1*Institute of Life Science, College of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK, Department of Medicine, Biomedical NMR Unit-MoSAIC, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium and Institute for Materials Research, SCaPE, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK *Institute of Life Science, College of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK, Department of Medicine, Biomedical NMR Unit-MoSAIC, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium and Institute for Materials Research, SCaPE, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK s.h.doak@swansea.ac.uk.

Toxicological Sciences : an Official Journal of the Society of Toxicology
|January 21, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Cell type significantly impacts nanoparticle toxicity. Different cells exhibit varying quantum dot (QD) uptake and genotoxicity, crucial for predicting nanomaterial safety.

Keywords:
cell typecellular uptakecytotoxicity, genotoxicitynanoparticlequantum dots

More Related Videos

Solubilization and Bio-conjugation of Quantum Dots and Bacterial Toxicity Assays by Growth Curve and Plate Count
13:06

Solubilization and Bio-conjugation of Quantum Dots and Bacterial Toxicity Assays by Growth Curve and Plate Count

Published on: July 11, 2012

14.8K
Synthesis of Cd-free InP/ZnS Quantum Dots Suitable for Biomedical Applications
10:56

Synthesis of Cd-free InP/ZnS Quantum Dots Suitable for Biomedical Applications

Published on: February 6, 2016

14.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 18, 2026

Compact Quantum Dots for Single-molecule Imaging
17:14

Compact Quantum Dots for Single-molecule Imaging

Published on: October 9, 2012

18.9K
Solubilization and Bio-conjugation of Quantum Dots and Bacterial Toxicity Assays by Growth Curve and Plate Count
13:06

Solubilization and Bio-conjugation of Quantum Dots and Bacterial Toxicity Assays by Growth Curve and Plate Count

Published on: July 11, 2012

14.8K
Synthesis of Cd-free InP/ZnS Quantum Dots Suitable for Biomedical Applications
10:56

Synthesis of Cd-free InP/ZnS Quantum Dots Suitable for Biomedical Applications

Published on: February 6, 2016

14.7K

Area of Science:

  • Nanotoxicology
  • Cell Biology
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Nanoparticle (NP) toxicity is linked to physicochemical properties, but in-vitro studies show discrepancies, partly due to cell type variations.
  • Quantum dots (QDs) are nanomaterials with potential applications, necessitating a thorough understanding of their biological interactions.
  • Understanding cell-specific responses is vital for accurate risk assessment of nanomaterials.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the differential uptake and toxicity of cadmium selenide/zinc sulfide (CdSe:ZnS) quantum dots (QDs) across three distinct human cell lines.
  • To evaluate the impact of QD surface charge (carboxyl vs. amine) and serum concentration on cellular responses.
  • To correlate cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and inflammatory cytokine expression (IL-8, TNF-α) with cell type.

Main Methods:

  • Physicochemical characterization of CdSe:ZnS QDs.
  • Exposure of epithelial (BEAS-2B), fibroblast (HFF-1), and lymphoblastoid (TK6) cells to QDs under varying serum conditions and for multiple cell cycles.
  • Assessment of cellular uptake via flow cytometry, cytotoxicity using standard assays, and genotoxicity through chromosomal damage analysis.
  • Measurement of ROS levels and expression of IL-8 and TNF-α via ELISA or similar techniques.

Main Results:

  • Significant variations in QD uptake and toxicity were observed across BEAS-2B, HFF-1, and TK6 cell lines.
  • BEAS-2B cells showed high QD uptake but low genotoxicity, indicating resilience.
  • HFF-1 and TK6 cells exhibited higher susceptibility to QD-induced toxicity and genotoxicity, respectively.

Conclusions:

  • Cell type is a critical determinant of QD toxicity and genotoxicity, independent of QD physicochemical properties alone.
  • Predicting nanomaterial genotoxicity requires considering both material characteristics and cell-specific uptake and response mechanisms.
  • This study highlights the necessity of incorporating cell-type variability into nanotoxicology assessments for accurate risk evaluation.