Masters Theses

Yi Xu

Keywords and Phrases

Macropinocytosis; Nona-arginine

Abstract

"Luminescent semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have recently been used for delivering and monitoring biomolecules, such as drugs and proteins. However, QDs alone have a very low efficiency of transport across the plasma membrane. In order to increase the efficiency of QD delivery, synthetic nona-arginine (sR9) was used, a cell penetrating peptide, to facilitate uptake. Data demonstrated that sR9 could significantly increase the cellular uptake of QDs by noncovalent binding between QDs and sR9. Furthermore, the mechanisms of QD/sR9 cellular internalization were investigated. Low temperature and metabolic inhibitors markedly inhibited the uptake of QD/sR9, indicating that internalization is an energy-dependent process. Several pathway inhibitors and the RNAi technique were used to analyze the mechanism of uptake in live cell imaging studies. siRNA knockdown demonstrated that clathrin-, and caveolin-dependent endocytosis were not involved in QD/sR9 internalization. The conclusion is that the major routes of cellular uptake involve macropinocytosis and lipid-raft dependent process"--Abstract, page iii.

Advisor(s)

Huang, Yue-wern

Department(s)

Biological Sciences

Degree Name

M.S. in Applied and Environmental Biology

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Fall 2009

Pagination

ix, 45 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 21-22).

Rights

© 2009 Yi Xu, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Subject Headings

ArginineBiological transport -- ResearchQuantum dots

Thesis Number

T 9588

Print OCLC #

612475747

Electronic OCLC #

493380976

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