Why are gold nanoparticles used in cancer treatment?

Gold nanoparticles are promising for delivery of cancer vaccine, because they preferentially accumulate within tissues and cells of the immune system, and have a large surface area for vaccine loading.

Can gold nanoparticles cure cancer?

Due to their unique properties, such as absorption and scattering of electromagnetic radiation, gold nanoparticles are of particular interest for the application in photothermal therapy (PTT). This treatment strategy involves the use of electromagnetic radiation to generate heat for thermal destruction of cancer cells.

What is the function of citrate in gold nanoparticle synthesis?

One of the most common synthetic methods for preparation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) is based on citrate reduction and stabilization, called the Turkevich method. (1, 2) Citrate anions reduce gold ions to atoms and stabilize colloidal AuNPs (i.e., typically 10–100 nm in diameter) formed from clustered atoms.

How do you synthesis gold nanoparticles?

Synthesis of gold nanoparticles developed a synthetic method for creating AuNPs in 1951 by treating hydrogen tetrachloroaurate (HAuCl4) with citric acid in boiling water, where the citrate acts as both reducing and stabilizing agent (Scheme 2B).

How are gold nanoparticles used in medicine?

Gold nanoparticles are used in resonance scattering dark-field microscopy for the detection of microbial cells and their metabolites [37], the bio-imaging of tumor cells [38], and for the detection of receptors on their surface [39], and for the study of endocytosis [40].

What is photothermal cancer therapy?

Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a cancer treatment that induces cancer cell death by heat generated in tumor tissue exposed to near-infrared (NIR) light1. NIR absorbents are used for facilitating efficient heat production2.

How does excess citrate affect nanoparticle synthesis?

Excess citrate ions not involved in the red-ox reaction are also adsorbed on the surface of the particles, thus playing a role in stabilizing the nanoparticles. They are called “capping” agents. Adsorption of citrate ions gives the gold particles an overall negative charge.

How does excess citrate effect nanoparticles?

Nanoparticles continue to aggregate until the total surface area of all particles becomes small enough to be covered by the existing citrate ions. Therefore, higher concentrations of sodium citrate result in less particle aggregation and the final size of the particles decrease.

How are nanoparticles used in chemotherapy?

The technique involves storing a cancer drug inside tiny objects called nanoparticles. Using this method, researchers were able to shrink tumors in mice while using smaller doses of the drug to reduce harmful side effects. The chemotherapy drug cisplatin is an effective cell killer.

How do nanoparticles deliver drugs to cancer cells?

Mechanically, nano-carriers in cancer therapy target to tumor cells through the carrier effect of NPs and the positioning effect of the targeting substance after being absorbed. Next, they release the drugs to tumor cells in order to induce killing.

How do you synthesis nanoparticles?

Nanoparticles are traditionally synthesized using wet chemistry methods, which involve first generating the particles in a solution, drop casting the wet particles onto a substrate, and removing the solvent, surfactants, and other materials from the particles.