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Tuesday, 28th November 2006 (5138 views)

Gold nanoparticles are to be used to create ultra sensitive images of cells.

Scientists from Harvard Medical School have found a new technique of taking images so detailed that molecular information can be read in the cell.

Hopefully this technique will enable medical researchers to study individual biochemicals in their native environment and progress can be made in this study which requires very precise imaging.

Dr Katrin Kneipp led the research and she capitalised on the unique properties of gold as a sensitive substance which can clump together in certain physical environments in order to aggregate nanoscales.

The next step is to apply this result to pinpointing specific individual molecules within cells. Gold nanoparticles will be labelled with a targeting agent and then injected into cells.

The gold specks will then attach themselves to the target and after laser treatment, the gold will trigger a certain emission if the target is the correct molecule.

Gold particles are also being used in the fight against biological toxins used by bio-terrorists.

Gold is capable of revealing the presence of such toxins much quicker than other techniques and can be used instantly at crime scenes without the back-up of a laboratory.

 

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