Step by step towards understanding gold glyconanoparticles as elements of the nanoworld

✍ Scribed by L. Sihelníková; I. Tvaroška

• Book ID: 111491054
• Publisher: Versita
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 472 KB
• Volume: 61
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0366-6352
• DOI: 10.2478/s11696-007-0029-0

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Gold glyconanoparticles as elements of the nanoworld belong to a group of particles with diameters not exceeding 100 nm. This size scale makes them conformable to common biomolecules. A gold glyconanoparticle consists of three different parts: the gold core, the linkers, and saccharide ligands. The glycocalyx-like surface of these particles mimics the presentation of carbohydrate epitopes of cell surface glycoconjugates. As a consequence, gold glyconanoparticles provide inimitable tools for probing and manipulating the mechanisms of biological processes based on carbohydrate interactions. Each component of the gold glyconanoparticle has a profound effect on the nanoparticle’s properties. Therefore, in this review, elucidation of the overall behavior and properties of gold glyconanoparticles is based on a step by step (component by component) description of the system.