Encapsulation of CdSe/ZnSe quantum dots by liposome complexes

A general method was developed to encapsulate CdSe/ZnSe quantum dots by phospholipids liposome complexes, which rendered the quantum dots water-soluble and biocompatible. The encapsulation process was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The photoluminescence of CdSe/ZnSe quantum dots in the liposome complexes was quite stable; their fluorescence remained in the same order of magnitude even after 90 min of photobleaching. CdSe/ZnSe quantum dots in the liposome complexes were further applied as fluorescence marker in immune assay for the detection of rat monoclonal CD95 antibodies. Quantum dots encapsulated by this facile strategy could also be applied in DNA, enzyme and cell labeling, and contribute a lot to the development of in vivo imaging and probing of tissues.