Enhanced fluorescence from semiconductor quantum dot-labelled cells excited at 280 nm

McFarlane, Mollie and Hall, Nicholas and McConnell, Gail (2022) Enhanced fluorescence from semiconductor quantum dot-labelled cells excited at 280 nm. Methods and Applications in Fluorescence, 10 (2). 025004. ISSN 2050-6120 (https://doi.org/10.1088/2050-6120/ac5878)

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Abstract

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have significant advantages over more traditional fluorophores used in fluorescence microscopy including reduced photobleaching, long-term photostability and high quantum yields, but due to limitations in light sources and optics, are often excited far from their optimum excitation wavelengths in the deep-UV. Here, we present a quantitative comparison of the excitation of semiconductor QDs at a wavelength of 280 nm, compared to the longer wavelength of 365 nm, within a cellular environment. We report increased fluorescence intensity and enhanced image quality when using 280 nm excitation compared to 365 nm excitation for cell imaging across multiple datasets, with a highest average fluorescence intensity increase of 3.59-fold. We also find no significant photobleaching of QDs associated with 280 nm excitation and find that on average, ~80% of cells can tolerate exposure to high-intensity 280 nm irradiation over a 6-hour period.

ORCID iDs

McFarlane, Mollie ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3921-8894, Hall, Nicholas ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2259-8755 and McConnell, Gail ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7213-0686;
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