Highly stable luminescence of CdSe magic-sized quantum dots in HeLa cells

We report the highly stable luminescence of CdSe magic-sized quantum dots (MSQDs) in HeLa cells. The CdSe MSQDs with average diameter of 1.6nm were synthesized in an aqueous solution with a biocompatible capping ligand. Luminescence spectra showed broad range luminescence and deep level defect characteristic of wurtzite structures, which were confirmed by X-ray diffraction. Images from fluorescence microscopy, captured after 24h and 36h, showed that the luminescence of the CdSe MSQDs in HeLa cells was highly stable, indicating their potential utility in studies of tumor cell migration in vivo.