Software Staining of Histological Tissue Sections Using the Luminescence Spectra of CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots
摘要
Software processing of fluorescent images of histological sections of the cervix with different levels of pathology (squamous cell carcinoma vs. healthy epithelium) stained with CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QD) is discussed. The shift of the luminescence band maximum of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots is a function of the electric field of the cell. Pathological changes in malignant tissues of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix are accompanied by a shift of the luminescence band of CdSe/ZnS QD by 16 nm toward shorter wavelengths. Software processing of the fluorescent images allows us to attribute this shift to manifestation of the linear Stark effect. Comparison with the results obtained for aqueous solutions of CdSe/ZnS QDs shows that, in this case, the medium in the tissues with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix is acidic. Healthy epithelial tissues when stained with CdSe/ZnS QDs give an optical response corresponding to neutral pH. The practical significance of these results lies both in the differentiation of tissues with malignant changes and visualization of the border between healthy epithelial tissue and squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.