Shen Lei
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, TX 78712, USA.
J Funct Biomater. 2011 Dec 2;2(4):355-72. doi: 10.3390/jfb2040355.
Quantum dots (QDs) are nanometer-sized semiconductor particles with tunable fluorescent optical property that can be adjusted by their chemical composition, size, or shape. In the past 10 years, they have been demonstrated as a powerful fluorescence tool for biological and biomedical applications, such as diagnostics, biosensing and biolabeling. QDs with high fluorescence quantum yield and optical stability are usually synthesized in organic solvents. In aqueous solution, however, their metallic toxicity, non-dissolubility and photo-luminescence instability prevent the direct utility of QDs in biological media. Polymers are widely used to cover and coat QDs for fabricating biocompatible QDs. Such hybrid materials can provide solubility and robust colloidal and optical stability in water. At the same time, polymers can carry ionic or reactive functional groups for incorporation into the end-use application of QDs, such as receptor targeting and cell attachment. This review provides an overview of the recent development of methods for generating biocompatible polymer/QDs hybrid materials with desirable properties. Polymers with different architectures, such as homo- and co-polymer, hyperbranched polymer, and polymeric nanogel, have been used to anchor and protect QDs. The resulted biocompatible polymer/QDs hybrid materials show successful applications in the fields of bioimaging and biosensing. While considerable progress has been made in the design of biocompatible polymer/QDs materials, the research challenges and future developments in this area should affect the technologies of biomaterials and biosensors and result in even better biocompatible polymer/QDs hybrid materials.
量子点（QDs）是纳米尺寸的半导体颗粒，具有可通过其化学成分、尺寸或形状进行调节的可调谐荧光光学特性。在过去十年中，它们已被证明是一种用于生物和生物医学应用的强大荧光工具，如诊断、生物传感和生物标记。具有高荧光量子产率和光学稳定性的量子点通常在有机溶剂中合成。然而，在水溶液中，它们的金属毒性、不溶解性和光致发光不稳定性阻碍了量子点在生物介质中的直接应用。聚合物被广泛用于包覆和包裹量子点以制备生物相容性量子点。这种杂化材料可以在水中提供溶解性以及强大的胶体和光学稳定性。同时，聚合物可以携带离子或反应性功能基团，以便纳入量子点的最终应用中，如受体靶向和细胞附着。本综述概述了用于生成具有理想性能的生物相容性聚合物/量子点杂化材料的方法的最新进展。具有不同结构的聚合物，如同聚物和共聚物、超支化聚合物和聚合物纳米凝胶，已被用于锚定和保护量子点。所得的生物相容性聚合物/量子点杂化材料在生物成像和生物传感领域显示出成功的应用。虽然在生物相容性聚合物/量子点材料的设计方面已经取得了相当大的进展，但该领域的研究挑战和未来发展应该会影响生物材料和生物传感器技术，并产生甚至更好的生物相容性聚合物/量子点杂化材料。
