In vivo tracking of adipose tissue grafts with cadmium-telluride quantum dots

Background Fat grafting, or lipofilling, represent frequent clinically used entities. The fate of these transplants is still not predictable, whereas only few animal models are available for further research. Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanocrystals which can be conveniently tracked in vivo due to photoluminescence.

Methods Fat grafts in cluster form were labeled with cadmium-telluride (CdTe)-QD 770 and transplanted subcutaneously in a murine in vivo model. Photoluminescence levels were serially followed in vivo.

Results Tracing of fat grafts was possible for 50 days with CdTe-QD 770. The remaining photoluminescence was 4.9%±2.5% for the QDs marked fat grafts after 30 days and 4.2%± 1.7% after 50 days. There was no significant correlation in the relative course of the tracking signal, when vital fat transplants were compared to non-vital graft controls.

Conclusions For the first-time fat grafts were tracked in vivo with CdTe-QDs. CdTe-QDs could offer a new option for in vivo tracking of fat grafts for at least 50 days, but do not document vitality of the grafts.

Keywords

Quantum dots - Adipocytes - Transplantation - Adipose tissue

Funding by DFG Excellence Cluster Nanosystems Initiative Munich (to E. Wagner) is gratefully acknowledged.

Parts of this work were presented at the DGPRAEC (German Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons) meeting on September 18, 2010, in Dresden, Germany.

Publication History

Received: 16 September 2017

Accepted: 27 December 2017

Article published online:
22 May 2022

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