Carbon dots incorporated polymeric hydrogels as multifunctional platform for imaging and induction of apoptosis in lung cancer cells

Multifunctional carbon dots integrated hydrogels loaded with chemotherapeutic drug, 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU@CD-HY) for simultaneous monitoring of cellular uptake and triggering of apoptotic signaling pathway in cancer cells. Abbreviations used: 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), carbon dots (CDs), hydrogels (HY), B-cell lymphoma 2 (bcl 2), basal cell lymphoma-extra large (bcl-xl), bcl 2 associated X protein (bax), bcl 2 associated death promoter (bad), cytochrome c (cyt c).