Hybrid structures based on gold nanoparticles and organic fluorophores: synthesis, properties, and applications in theranostics

Combination of the beneficial properties of gold nanoparticles and organic fluorophores forms the basis for the development of many advanced agents for bioimaging and laser medicine. The localized surface plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles enables the control of the optical response and photodynamic activity of neighbouring molecules, being a powerful tool for fine tuning of their target physicochemical properties. Among numerous reviews devoted to the synthesis and optical properties of gold nanoparticles and their applications in particular areas of medicine and bioanalysis, there are no recent studies focusing on specific features inherent in hybrid structures of gold nanoparticles with fluorophores. Therefore, the goal of the present review is to consider the features of such plasmonic structures, the basic principles responsible for their optical properties, and modern approaches to attain multiplexed and multimodal response. The review also describes the existing combinations of gold nanoparticles and organic fluorophores and hybrid structures based on these components and presents their role for solving relevant tasks of biomedicine.
The bibliography includes 240 references.