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Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Direct Synthesis of EM-Visible Gold Nanoparticles in Cells for Protein Localization Analysis with Well-Preserved Ultrastructure
Published on: April 28, 2023
AFM imaging of RGD presenting synthetic extracellular matrix using gold nanoparticles
Susan X Hsiong1, Peter H Cooke, Hyun-Joon Kong
1Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Abstract:
Several high-resolution imaging techniques such as FESEM, TEM and AFM are compared with respect to their application on alginate hydrogels, a widely used polysaccharide biomaterial. A new AFM method applicable to RGD peptides covalently conjugated to alginate hydrogels is described. High-resolution images of RGD adhesion ligand distribution were obtained by labeling biotinylated RGD peptides with streptavidin-labeled gold nanoparticles. This method may broadly provide a useful tool for sECM characterization and design for tissue regeneration strategies.

