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 1.6 nm 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 24 h and 36 h, 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.