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Counting growth factors in single cells with infrared quantum dots to measure discrete stimulation distributions

Author

Listed:
  • Phuong Le

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

  • Sung Jun Lim

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    DGIST)

  • Brian C. Baculis

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

  • Hee Jung Chung

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

  • Kristopher A. Kilian

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    University of New South Wales
    University of New South Wales
    University of New South Wales)

  • Andrew M. Smith

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    Carle Illinois College of Medicine)

Abstract

The distribution of single-cell properties across a population of cells can be measured using diverse tools, but no technology directly quantifies the biochemical stimulation events regulating these properties. Here we report digital counting of growth factors in single cells using fluorescent quantum dots and calibrated three-dimensional deconvolution microscopy (QDC-3DM) to reveal physiologically relevant cell stimulation distributions. We calibrate the fluorescence intensities of individual compact quantum dots labeled with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and demonstrate the necessity of near-infrared emission to overcome intrinsic cellular autofluoresence at the single-molecule level. When applied to human triple-negative breast cancer cells, we observe proportionality between stimulation and both receptor internalization and inhibitor response, reflecting stimulation heterogeneity contributions to intrinsic variability. We anticipate that QDC-3DM can be applied to analyze any peptidic ligand to reveal single-cell correlations between external stimulation and phenotypic variability, cell fate, and drug response.

Suggested Citation

  • Phuong Le & Sung Jun Lim & Brian C. Baculis & Hee Jung Chung & Kristopher A. Kilian & Andrew M. Smith, 2019. "Counting growth factors in single cells with infrared quantum dots to measure discrete stimulation distributions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-08754-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08754-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Yanyu Xiong & Qinglan Huang & Taylor D. Canady & Priyash Barya & Shengyan Liu & Opeyemi H. Arogundade & Caitlin M. Race & Congnyu Che & Xiaojing Wang & Lifeng Zhou & Xing Wang & Manish Kohli & Andrew , 2022. "Photonic crystal enhanced fluorescence emission and blinking suppression for single quantum dot digital resolution biosensing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, December.

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