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Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Production and Targeting of Monovalent Quantum Dots
Published on: October 23, 2014
The surface chemistry determines the spatio-temporal interaction dynamics of quantum dots in atherosclerotic lesions
Bernd Uhl1,2, Stephanie Hirn1, Karina Mildner3
1Walter Brendel Centre of Experimental Medicine, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany.
Aim:
To optimize the design of nanoparticles for diagnosis or therapy of vascular diseases, it is mandatory to characterize the determinants of nano-bio interactions in vascular lesions.
Materials & Methods:
Using ex vivo and in vivo microscopy, we analyzed the interactive behavior of quantum dots with different surface functionalizations in atherosclerotic lesions of ApoE-deficient mice.
Results:
We demonstrate that quantum dots with different surface functionalizations exhibit specific interactive behaviors with distinct molecular and cellular components of the injured vessel wall. Moreover, we show a role for fibrinogen in the regulation of the spatio-temporal interaction dynamics in atherosclerotic lesions.
Conclusion:
Our findings emphasize the relevance of surface chemistry-driven nano-bio interactions on the differential in vivo behavior of nanoparticles in diseased tissue.
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