5 - Core-shell nanoparticles and their use for in vitro and in vivo diagnostics

Abstract

Due to their unique structure, the application potential of core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) in the field of biomedicine is huge. This includes in vitro and in vivo imaging, biosensing, separation and purification of biomolecules, drug delivery, and tumor therapy. A core-shell structure is used to improve biocompatibility and stability of NPs under physiological conditions, as well as to obtain multifunctionality such as multicolor, tunable luminescence, combination of magnetism, and luminescence or radioactivity by combination of different materials inside of a single particle. In this way, different detection methods can be operated simultaneously or even diagnosis and therapy may be combined. In this chapter a short overview of different synthesis techniques used for the preparation of various core-shell NPs systems is presented, NP properties are discussed, and finally typical applications of core-shell NPs in the field of diagnostics are shown.