Multimodal Gold Nanoprobes for SERS Bioimaging

Growing number of studies report on the improved sensitivity of various imaging modalities in detecting abnormalities within tumours. Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) microscopy is a novel optical imaging technique which is advantageous in terms of greater multiplexing capability, minimal or no photobleaching of the Raman reporters, better spatial resolution and low signal-to-noise ratio within complex biological environment. For the enhancement of the Raman vibrational signal in SERS bioimaging, gold nanoparticles (GNP) are the most viable among metal nanoparticles because of comparable ease in controlling its size distribution and biocompatibility, among other parameters. GNP based SERS nanoprobes can be synthesised by tagging Raman reporter and conjugating with target specific biomolecules. Because of GNP’s wide-ranging optical properties and narrow and distinct signal from SERS, other labelling methodologies like fluorescence microscopy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), etc. can also be implemented along with SERS bioimaging, by tagging fluorophores, magnetic nanoparticles, etc. This review focuses on various structures and shapes of GNP, fabricating GNP based nanoprobes and the multiplexing and multi-modality capability of GNP based SERS nanoprobes. *Corresponding author: Malini Olivo, Department of Nanobiophotonics and Imaging Group, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland, Tel: +353 91 493595; E-Mail: [email protected] Received July 27, 2015; Accepted September 22, 2015; Published October 02, 2015 Citation: Raghavan V, Fan HM, Dockery P, Wheatley A, Keogh I, et al. (2015) Multimodal Gold Nanoprobes for SERS Bioimaging. J Nanomed Nanotechnol S6: 002. doi:10.4172/2157-7439.S6-002 Copyright: © 2015 Raghavan V, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.