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• Gomes, S
• Vieira, C
• Almeida, D
• Santos-Mallet, J
• Menna-Barreto, R
• Cesar, C
• Feder, D
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• Gomes, S
• Vieira, C
• Almeida, D
• Santos-Mallet, J
• Menna-Barreto, R
• Cesar, C
• Feder, D
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• Vieira, C
• Almeida, D
• Santos-Mallet, J
• Menna-Barreto, R
• Cesar, C
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Sensors 2011, 11(12), 11664-11678; doi:10.3390/s111211664

Review

CdTe and CdSe Quantum Dots Cytotoxicity: A Comparative Study on Microorganisms

Suzete A.O. Gomes ¹ , Cecilia Stahl Vieira ² , Diogo B. Almeida ³ , Jacenir R. Santos-Mallet ² , Rubem F. S. Menna-Barreto ⁴ , Carlos L. Cesar ³  and Denise Feder ^1,*

¹ Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, GBG, Universidade Federal Fluminense—UFF, Niterói, RJ, CEP: 24210-130, Brazil ² Laboratório de Transmissores de Leishmanioses, Setor de Entomologia Médica e Forense, IOC-FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP: 21040-360, Brazil ³ Laboratório de Aplicações Biomédicas de Lasers, Departamento de Eletrônica Quântica, Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, CEP: 13083-970, Brazil ⁴ Laboratório de Biologia Celular, IOC-FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP: 21040-360, Brazil

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: 27 October 2011; in revised form: 26 November 2011 / Accepted: 9 December 2011 / Published: 15 December 2011

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensing with Quantum Dots)

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Abstract: Quantum dots (QDs) are colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals of a few nanometers in diameter, being their size and shape controlled during the synthesis. They are synthesized from atoms of group II–VI or III–V of the periodic table, such as cadmium telluride (CdTe) or cadmium selenium (CdSe) forming nanoparticles with fluorescent characteristics superior to current fluorophores. The excellent optical characteristics of quantum dots make them applied widely in the field of life sciences. Cellular uptake of QDs, location and translocation as well as any biological consequence, such as cytotoxicity, stimulated a lot of scientific research in this area. Several studies pointed to the cytotoxic effect against micoorganisms. In this mini-review, we overviewed the synthesis and optical properties of QDs, and its advantages and bioapplications in the studies about microorganisms such as protozoa, bacteria, fungi and virus.

Keywords: quantum dots; citotoxicity; Trypanosoma cruzi; bacteria; microorganisms

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