Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026
12:00
Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticle Integrated Photo-responsive Liposomes and Measurement of Their Microbubble Cavitation upon Pulse Laser Excitation
Published on: February 24, 2016
Luminescent gold nanoparticles with pH-dependent membrane adsorption.
Mengxiao Yu1, Chen Zhou, Jinbin Liu
1Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, USA.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|July 1, 2011
Summary
Researchers developed pH-responsive gold nanoparticles coated with glutathione and cysteamine. These nanoparticles resist protein adsorption and bind to live cells in a pH-dependent manner, advancing biomedical applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Cellular processes and disease progression are regulated by pH.
- pH-responsive materials are crucial for understanding cell biology and for medical diagnosis and therapy.
- Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have potential biomedical applications, but their interaction with live cells is often hindered by non-specific protein adsorption in biological environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer luminescent gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with pH-dependent cell membrane adsorption capabilities.
- To overcome the challenge of non-specific serum protein adsorption that limits AuNP interactions with live cells.
- To develop AuNPs for applications in fundamental biological research and disease diagnosis/therapy.
Main Methods:
- Coating luminescent gold nanoparticles with glutathione and cysteamine.
- Evaluating nanoparticle resistance to serum protein adsorption.
- Assessing pH-dependent adsorption of nanoparticles onto live cell membranes in the presence of serum proteins.
Main Results:
- The modified AuNPs demonstrated high resistance to non-specific serum protein adsorption.
- The nanoparticles exhibited pH-dependent adsorption onto live cell membranes, even in the presence of serum proteins.
- This pH-responsive behavior was achieved using a natural peptide (glutathione) and a simple aminothiol (cysteamine).
Conclusions:
- Coating gold nanoparticles with glutathione and cysteamine imparts resistance to protein adsorption and enables pH-dependent cell membrane interactions.
- These engineered nanoparticles hold significant potential for advancing biomedical applications, including fundamental biological studies and pH-involved disease diagnosis and therapy.
- The developed pH-responsive AuNPs offer a novel platform for targeted interactions with cells in complex biological media.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Photoluminescence: Applications
Photoluminescence offers a wide range of applications due to its inherent sensitivity and selectivity. This technique allows for both direct and indirect analyses of the analyte. Direct quantitative analysis is possible when the analyte exhibits a favorable quantum yield for fluorescence or phosphorescence. However, an indirect analysis may be feasible if the analyte is not fluorescent or phosphorescent, or if the quantum yield is unfavorable. Indirect methods include reacting the analyte with...
01:20Immunogold Electron Microscopy
Immunoelectron microscopy utilizes immunogold labeling of endogenous proteins with specific antibodies to detect and localize these proteins in cells and tissues. The procedure provides insights into the distribution and quantification of protein under different stimulation conditions offering clues about their functions. Conjugating highly electron-dense gold particles with primary or secondary antibodies allow antigen detection on and within cells, with high resolution and specificity.