Angshuman Pal, a Chemistry research scholar, has successfully introduced minute gold particles into live animal cell and drawn their images onscreen.
“Not every one knows that the colour of gold changes when less in size. This property was very vital in imaging minute gold particles onscreen, after they were introduced in the cell. Gold can also kill affected cells in diseases like cancer,” said Pal.
The project was carried out in collaboration with the MSU and National Institute of Research in Reproductive Health (NIRRH), Mumbai.
“A minute particle of gold is termed as nano particle and its colour changes to red and blue when smaller in size.
A nano particle has a specific property called Fluorescence in which it emits light after absorbing radiation of some other (invisible) wavelength. To do this project on a minute scale, around Rs 50,000 was funded by the NIRRH,” said Surekha Devy, the head of Chemistry department.
“We have used this fluorescence property and introduced these particles in the Chinese Hamster Ovarian (CHO) offered by the NIRRH,” said Pal.
Chinese Hamster is a rodent found only in China and Mongolia; and the ovary of this animal is widely used to manufacture pharmaceutical.
Elaborating the method of introduction of gold nano particles in the CHO, Pal said: “Nano particles coated with Phospholipid layer were introduced in the CHO. Due to the colour and fluorescence property, its images could be taken on the screen.”
This finding could locate the affinity of gold nano particles to the affected cells and may be useful in laser therapy. “While the project has been completed, the NIRRH might continue it and exploit the utility of imaging gold particles in cells and kill affected cells in the human body,” said Pal.