Cell Motility and Metastatic Potential Studies Based on Quantum Dot Imaging of Phagokinetic Tracks

The uptake of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals by a large range of eukaryotes (see Figure) is directly correlated with the cell motility, as has been shown by comparing the motions of cancerous and healthy human breast cells. The nanocrystals are more photochemically robust than organic dyes and provide a powerful tool for studying the processes of cell motility and migration—behaviors that are responsible for metastases of primary cancers.