Size control and protein conjugation of ligand-free, laser-fabricated gold nanoparticles by delayed conjugation in liquid flow

摘要

Due to their high quantum yield, low photobleaching and excellent biocompatibility, bioconjugated gold nanoparticles are widely used in medical diagnostics and therapy. The conjugation of these nanoparticles with proteins is particularly interesting as they form a corona around the particle, which significantly affects their impact on biological systems. Fabrication of bioconjugates by pulsed laser ablation in liquid is a promising alternative to chemical synthesis as ligand-free particles can be obtained and thus the interactions of proteins with bare nanoparticle surfaces can be studied.