Study on gold nanoparticles for biological applications

Gold nanoparticles have attracted much attention in the field of biological research, especially in biological imaging and sensing due to their unique physical properties. Fluorescence is a highly-sensitive, non-invasive biological study method and has been widely used in a variety of research topics. The aim of this thesis is to study the unique optical properties of gold nanoparticles and demonstrate their application in biological imaging and sensing through fluorescence microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. An introduction of gold nanoparticles and fluorescence techniques used in this project is given in Chapter 1. In Chapter 2, the synthesis method of gold nanoparticles, dependence of optical properties on particle size and shape, the unique spectroscopic characterization and microscopic application of gold nanorods are discussed. Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) based on two-photon luminescence lifetime from gold nanorods in cell culture, and the advantages of this method in biological imaging are demonstrated in Chapter 3. In Chapter 4, the energy transfer between a DNA dye, 4'-6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), and different types of gold nanoparticles in solution is demonstrated using FLIM. Biological imaging application based on energy transfer between gold particles and DAPI in cell culture is discussed as well in this chapter. A study on energy transfer process concerning different excitation conditions is reviewed in Chapter 5. Furthermore, application of fluorescence resonant energy transfer (FRET) based FLIM method in the research of intracellular pathway of gold nanoparticles in cells is demonstrated. Chapter 6 presents a systematic study on the cytotoxicity of gold nanorods in cell culture using MTT (3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) method. The effects of particle shape, surface conditions, dosage, incubation time on the cytotoxicity and the mechanism of cytotoxicity are discussed. In Chapter 7, a brief summary and outlook to future work are presented.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

phd

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral-pg

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Strathclyde

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Zhang, Yinan

DOI

10.48730/0hqv-me33

Identifier

T13536

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:strathclyde:pv63g033d