How are gold nanoparticles used in medicine?

Gold nanoparticles are used in resonance scattering dark-field microscopy for the detection of microbial cells and their metabolites [37], the bio-imaging of tumor cells [38], and for the detection of receptors on their surface [39], and for the study of endocytosis [40].

What are the benefits of gold nanoparticles?

Gold nanoparticles have many benefits that make them suitable for the photothermal treatment of cancer such as: (1) they can be administered into the local tumor area while minimizing non-specific distribution, (2) they can be activated via near-infrared (NIR) laser light, creating the ability to penetrate deep into …

Why most of the investigations are on gold nanoparticles?

Gold nanoparticles are a subject of substantial research around the world because of their potential applications in a wide variety of areas including electronics, nanotechnology and biomedicine. They are reported to have weak antibacterial activity compared to other metal nanoparticles discussed above.

Are gold nanoparticles safe?

They found that nanoparticles were not cytotoxic, did not induce activation, and did not change phenotype of the cells (Villiers et al. 2009). In contrast to these results, other groups have found that gold nanoparticles are “toxic”.

What is gold nanoparticles made of?

Synthesis of gold nanoparticles developed a synthetic method for creating AuNPs in 1951 by treating hydrogen tetrachloroaurate (HAuCl4) with citric acid in boiling water, where the citrate acts as both reducing and stabilizing agent (Scheme 2B).

How are gold and silver nanoparticles used in medicine?

Nanomaterials may provide considerably changed physical, chemical and biological properties; Gold, Silver and Copper have been used mostly for the synthesis of stable dispersions of nanoparticles, which are useful in areas such as photography, catalysis, biological labeling, medical application like cancer diagnosis …

Why gold is used for drug delivery?

Colloidal gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are of interest as non-toxic carriers for drug delivery owing to their advanced properties, such as extensive surface-to-volume ratio and possibilities for tailoring their charge, hydrophilicity and functionality through surface chemistries.

What color are gold nanoparticles?

For small (~30 nm) monodisperse gold nanoparticles, the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon causes an absorption of light in the blue-green portion of the spectrum (~450 nm) while red light (~700 nm) is reflected, yielding a rich red color.

Why are gold nanoparticles toxic?

The interactions of AuNPs with biological systems are mostly associated with their physiochemical properties which internalize them within the cells, a condition that is not likely with larger particles. Such is among the reasons why AuNPs could be more toxic than larger particles when compared on a mass dosage.

What happens to gold nanoparticles in cells?

Once ingested or absorbed through the skin, gold nanoparticles mostly end up in the liver and spleen. There, they are internalized by macrophages and sequestered inside lysosomes – the “waste recycling centre” of cells.