Customizable ligand exchange on the surface of gold nanotriangles enables their application in LSPR-based sensing.

Nanomaterials made of noble metals have been actively utilized in sensorics and bioanalytics. Nanoparticles of anisotropic shapes are promising for increasing sensitivity due to the generated hotspots of electron density. Such structures can be effectively manufactured by a relatively accessible colloidal synthesis.

Isotope labeled 3D-Raman confocal imaging and atomic force microscopy study on epithelial cells interacting with the fungus Candida albicans.

The human pathogenic fungus Candida albicans damages epithelial cells during superficial infections. Here we use three-dimensional-sequential-confocal Raman spectroscopic imaging and atomic force microscopy to investigate the interaction of C. albicans wild type cells, the secreted C.

Electro-architected porous platinum on metallic multijunction nanolayers to optimize their optical properties for infrared sensor application.

Tailoring the physicochemical properties of the metallic multijunction nanolayers is a prerequisite for the development of microelectronics. From this perspective, a desired lower reflectance of infrared radiation was achieved by an electrochemical deposition of porous platinum in nonaqueous media on silver mirror supported nickel-chrome and nickel-titanium metallic films with incremental decreasing thicknesses from 80-10 nm. The electro-assembled architectures were examined by means of scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and it was observed that the layer and sublayer thicknesses and resistivities have a substantial effect upon the porous platinum morphology and its optical properties.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy of cell lysates mixed with silver nanoparticles for tumor classification.

The throughput of spontaneous Raman spectroscopy for cell identification applications is limited to the range of one cell per second because of the relatively low sensitivity. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a widespread way to amplify the intensity of Raman signals by several orders of magnitude and, consequently, to improve the sensitivity and throughput. SERS protocols using immuno-functionalized nanoparticles turned out to be challenging for cell identification because they require complex preparation procedures.

Chemo-spectroscopic sensor for carboxyl terminus overexpressed in carcinoma cell membrane.

Unlabelled: Certain carboxyl groups of the plasma membrane are involved in tumorgenesis processes. A gold core-hydroxyapatite shell (AuHA) nanocomposite is introduced as chemo-spectroscopic sensor to monitor these carboxyl groups of the cell membrane. Hydroxyapatite (HA) plays the role both of a chemical detector and of a biocompatible Raman marker.

Magnetic apatite for structural insights on the plasma membrane.

The iron oxide-hydroxyapatite (FeOxHA) nanoparticles reported here differ from those reported before by their advantage of homogeneity and simple preparation; moreover, the presence of carboxymethyldextran (CMD), together with hydroxyapatite (HA), allows access to the cellular membrane, which makes our magnetic apatite unique. These nanoparticles combine magnetic behavior, Raman label ability and the property of interaction with the cellular membrane; they therefore represent an interesting material for structural differentiation of the cell membrane. It was observed by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fluorescence microscopy that FeOxHA adheres to the plasma membrane and does not penetrate the membrane.

Labeling of the pathogenic bacterium Staphylococcus aureus with gold or ferric oxide-core nanoparticles highlights new capabilities for investigation of host-pathogen interactions.

Throughout the world, infections caused by bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In order to gain some understanding of the complicated physiological link between host and pathogen, modern techniques such as confocal microscopy and sophisticated OMICs technologies are suitable. However, labeling of pathogens such as S.

Simultaneous topographic and amperometric membrane mapping using an AFM probe integrated biosensor.

The investigation of the plasma membrane with intercorrelated multiparameter techniques is a prerequisite for understanding its function. Presented here, is a simultaneous electrochemical and topographic study of the cell membrane using a miniaturized amperometric enzymatic biosensor. The fabrication of this biosensor is also reported.

Biosensors for phenol derivatives using biochemical signal amplification.

Two different approaches, both exploiting two enzymes cooperative functioning, to enhance the sensitivity of tyrosinase (PPO) based biosensor for amperometric detection of phenols have been compared. For this purpose, one monoenzyme electrode (PPO) and two bienzyme electrodes (PPO and d-glucose dehydrogenase, GDH; PPO and horseradish peroxidase, HRP) were constructed using agar-agar gel as enzyme immobilization matrix. The biosensors responses for l-tyrosine detection were recorded at -50 mV versus saturated calomel electrode (SCE).

Development and critical evaluation of fluorescent chloride nanosensors.

In this study, we describe the preparation and evaluation of new fluorescent sensor nanoparticles for the ratiometric measurement of chloride concentrations. Both a chloride-sensitive dye (lucigenin) and a reference dye (sulforhodamine derivative) were incorporated into polyacrylamide nanoparticles via inverse microemulsion polymerization and investigated for their response to chloride ions in buffered suspension as well as in living cells. The fluorescence intensity of lucigenin reversibly decreased in the presence of chloride ions due to a collisional quenching process, which can be described with the Stern-Volmer equation.

A flexible method for the fabrication of gold nanostructures using oligonucleotide derivatives.

Several linear and branched DNA structures from 80-200 nm with a biotine molecule in the middle have been prepared. These structures have been decorated by addition of positively charged gold nanoparticles carrying 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine ligands. Streptavidin binds to the central biotine molecule introducing a 20 nm gap in the structure in which a biotinylated nanoparticle can be introduced.

DNA-templated assembly of nanoscale architectures for next-generation electronic devices.

We report the assembly and structural characterization of a Y-shaped DNA template incorporating a central biotin moiety. We also report that this template may be used assemble nanoscale architectures, which demonstrate the potential of this and related approaches to the fabrication of next-generation electronic devices. Of particular significance is the finding that it is possible to selectively metallize the above DNA template to obtain a three-electrode configuration.

Phenols monitoring and Hill coefficient evaluation using tyrosinase-based amperometric biosensors.

Sensitive amperometric biosensors for phenols compounds, based on tyrosinase (polyphenoloxidase, PPO) immobilized on a Pt electrode in an electropolymerized poly-amphiphilic pyrrole matrix or cross-linked with glutaraldehyde, were constructed and compared. Steady-state amperometric measurements, performed at -50 mV vs. SCE in aqueous phosphate buffer containing LiClO(4) 0.