The cytotoxicity and DNA damage caused by thioglycolic acid(TGA)-capped cadmium telluride(CdTe)quantum dots(QDs)to hepatocyte line HL-7702 were investigated.Cell viability was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide(MTT)assay; DNA damage was detected by single cell gel electrophoresis(SCGE); the change of cell cycle progression was examined by propidium iodide(PI)-flow cytometry(FCM);apoptosis was measured by acridine orange/ethidium bromide(AO/EB)assay and Annexin V-FITC/PI-FCM(FITC:fluorescein isothiocyanate).The results show that the cytotoxicity induced by CdTe QDs was increased in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner; after exposure to QDs for 24 h,as the exposure dose increased,the rate of DNA damage was significantly increased(P＜0.05),and the degree of DNA damage was elevated.As the dose of CdTe QDs increased,the percentage of G0/G1 phase cells was significantly decreased(P＜0.001),while the percenttages of S and G2/M phases cells were significantly increased(P＜0.001).In AO/EB assay,apoptotic cells could be observed under a fluorescence microscope,and apoptotic rate was increased as exposure dose increased.In Annexin V-FITC/PI-FCM assay,the apoptotic rates of CdTe QDs treated groups were significantly increased compared with that of control group(P＜0.05).Our studies indicate that CdTe QDs could influence cell viability,and induce DNA damage,the S and G2/M phases arrest and apoptosis of HL-7702.