Gold Nanoparticles in Biology and Medicine: Recent Advances and Prospects

Abstract

Functionalized gold nanoparticles with controlled geometrical and optical properties are the subject of intensive studies and biomedical applications, including genomics, biosensorics, immunoassays, clinical chemistry, laser phototherapy of cancer cells and tumors, the targeted delivery of drugs, DNA and antigens, optical bioimaging and the monitoring of cells and tissues with the use of state-of-the-art detection systems. This work will provide an overview of the recent advances and current challenges facing the biomedical application of gold nanoparticles of various sizes, shapes, and structures. The review is focused on the application of gold nanoparticle conjugates in biomedical diagnostics and analytics, photothermal and photodynamic therapies, as a carrier for delivering target molecules, and on the immunological and toxicological properties. Keeping in mind the huge volume and high speed of the data update rate, 2/3 of our reference list (certainly restricted to 250 Refs.) includes publications encompassing the past 5 years.

Porous Silica‐Coated Gold Nanorods: A Highly Active Catalyst for the Reduction of 4‐Nitrophenol

“…The methodology can be effectively applied to the development of composite catalysts with highly enhanced catalytic activity.Gold-based nanomaterials are actively being exploited for ad iversity of applications owing to their shape-and size-dependent opto-electronic properties. [1][2][3][4] Further,t he huge surfaceto-volumer atios and quantum effects of the materials extend their applicability to catalysis ford ifferent organic reactions/ conversions. [2,[5][6][7][8] For catalysis, different anisotropic gold nanostructures-besides spherical ones-have been used, including nanorods, nanoprisms, nanocages, nanoboxes, polygonal structures, and so on, for variousc atalytic reactions.…”

New Synthesis of Gold‐ and Silver‐Based Nano‐Tetracycline Composites

“…[24,25] Gold NPs are known to be non-cytotoxic, biocompatible, and useful therapeutic drug-delivery vehicles. [17,26,27] In this context,w ed etermined that AuNPs@TC is, in fact, nontoxic to bacteria,a si tw as possible to recover viable bacteria after 36 h of growth in the presence of our AuNPs@TC composite. Althoughi ti sn ot bactericidal, goldN Ps functionalized with TC are capable of inhibiting TC-susceptible Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.…”

Synthetic nanovaccines for immunotherapy

“…Both materials are easily functionalizable and are readily ingested by immune cells. However, concerns exist, particularly over solubility, long-term toxicity, and nonbiodegradability [24–26]. More work need to be performed to further evaluate inorganic nanoparticles for vaccine use.…”