Chemistry Letters, Vol.42, No.5, 498-500, 2013
Synthesis of Silicon Quantum Dots Functionalized Chemically with Monosaccharides and Their Use in Biological Fluorescence Imaging
Novel water-dispersible, pH-stable, and biocompatible quantum dots were synthesized through the surface modification of silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) with monosaccharides. The presence of the monosaccharide on the surface of the SiQDs was recognized by fluorescence measurements using its complementary lectin (concanavalin A). The fluorescence cell imaging was carried out by using SiQDs functionalized chemically with D-glucosamine, and it was shown that the SiQDs developed in this study are applicable as blue chromophores for biological fluorescence imaging.