Gold lipids are another unique product from Nanoprobes. Each lipid molecule is covalently linked to a Nanogold® or undecagold cluster through its polar head group. Since the gold moiety is hydrophilic, these molecules retain the amphiphilic nature of the parent lipid, and behave like fatty acids or phopholipids.
They may be used to study membranes by incorporation into the lipid phase, or they may be used to gold-label micelles and vesicles so that they can be identified and visualized.
The gold labels may be visualized directly by EM. Using silver enhancement, they may be seen in the light microscope, or by eye in lipoimmunoassays and similar applications.
Features
Discrete single molecules with one lipid to one gold cluster label.
Covalent attachment ensures consistent structure and properties.
Stable, long shelf life.
Soluble in organic solvents and alcohols for easy incorporation into liposomes.
Applications
Follow liposomal transport or drug delivery by EM or LM (see: Adler-Moore, J.: Bone Marrow Transplantation, 14, S3-S7 (1994)):
Schematic showing the pathways of Nanogold®-labeled liposomes in cells, as revealed by EM. Ambisome is a channel-forming anti-fungal drug: in its absence, the pattern of the label as revealed by silver enhancement shows that the liposome fuses with the cell membrane (left), but when it is present, the liposomes enter the cell (right) and Nanogold® accummulates in the cytoplasm (Adler-Moore, J.; Bone Marrow Transplantation, 14, S3-S7 (1994)).
Prepare novel arrays and nanostructures using the phase properties of labeled liposomes. See:
Hainfeld, J. F.: Proc 54th Ann. Mtg. Micros. Soc. Amer., San Francisco Press, San Francisco, CA, pp. 898-899 (1996).
Hainfeld, J. F.; Furuya, F. R., and Powell, R. D.: Metallosomes. J. Struct. Biol., 127, 152-160 (1999).
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