<Back to Contents

Brighter bulbs light up cell innards

Cell interiors light up brighter and longer when tagged with fluorescent markers made from quantum dots—clusters of semiconductor atoms with special light-emitting properties.

 

References:

Bruchez, Jr., M., et al. 1998. Semiconductor nanocrystals as fluorescent biological labels. Science 281(Sept. 25):2013.

Chan, W.C.W., and S. Nie. 1998. Quantum dot bioconjugates for ultrasensitive nonisotopic detection. Science 291(Sept. 25):2016.

 

Further Readings:

Wu, C. 1996. Drawing a bead on quantum dot lasers. Science News 150(Nov. 23):327.

Sources:

Shuming Nie
Indiana University
Department of Chemistry
Bloomington, IN 47405

From Science News, Vol. 154, No. 17, October 24, 1998, p. 271.
Copyright Ó 1998 by Science Service.

Back to Table of Contents - 10/24/98