A review of gold nanoparticles: physicochemical properties and their cellular response in macrophages

Abstract

The study of nanomaterials (NMs) and their physicochemical properties such as size, chemical nature, composition and shape is of paramount importance. Specifically, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and their shapes such as rollers, spheres and cubes, are used in the biomedical field, for example, nanostars and gold cubes have a great resonance effect of the localizing surface plasmon (LSPR) allowing them to be used in diagnosis, marking and tumor therapies; however, the latter lack or have few in vitro toxicological studies to ensure their biocompatibility. This review mentions the main characteristics of AuNPs that allow them to be used in these therapies and some of the cell studies that have been carried out with them in macrophage cultures to obtain adequate concentrations for their future medical application.