Open AccessEnhanced fluorescence from semiconductor quantum dot-labelled cells excited at 280 nm
Author(s) -
Mollie McFarlane,
Nicholas Hall,
Gail McConnell
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
methods and applications in fluorescence
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 25
ISSN - 2050-6120
DOI - 10.1088/2050-6120/ac5878
Subject(s) - photobleaching , excitation wavelength , quantum dot , excitation , fluorescence , wavelength , excited state , optoelectronics , microscopy , fluorescence microscope , irradiation , semiconductor , materials science , intensity (physics) , chemistry , optics , physics , atomic physics , quantum mechanics , nuclear physics
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.