Abstract
Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) possess superior optical properties and show great potential for use in biological and biomedical applications. However, there are increasing concerns regarding the assessment of their cytotoxicity, and their biocompatibility currently limits their use in further clinical applications. Recent results indicate that QD cytotoxicity is closely associated with the QDs physical and chemical properties such as particle size and surface properties. On the other hand, results have also shown that toxicity varies in different cell lines and is affected by other factors. In this review, we summarize the recent results obtained in our laboratory on the cytotoxicity of aqueous synthetic cadmium-based QDs. We propose that the released cadmium ions contribute to a large extent to the cytotoxicity of cadmium-based QDs, and that the nano-effects and intracellular distributions of QDs also greatly affect their cytotoxicity.
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