Water-dispersed luminescent quantum dots for miRNA detection

Abstract This review targets valuable insight into the application of water dispersed luminescent quantum dots (QDs) for detection of microRNA (miRNA). Recently, considerable efforts have been devoted to obtain QDs for biosensing and bioimaging. Quantum dots with bright stable photoluminescence, synthesized directly in the water phase, offered an unparalleled advantage for the assay development involving small size, high colloidal stability, and presence of groups for bioconjugation. In this review we have delineated the fundamental principles guiding the rational design, synthesis, and application of photoluminescent water-dispersed QDs. Diverse analysis methods for miRNA detection based on the photoluminescence, electrochemiluminescence, Forster resonance energy transfer and electrochemiluminescence energy transfer with different enhancement strategies are discussed.