The last decade has witnessed fast progress in nanotechnology. Especially, the marriage of nanotechnology and conventional imaging facilities has brought forth a new research realm that holds great potential in bringing revolutionary changes to the current diagnostic technologies. The interface that connects nanomaterials and functional biomolecules plays a critical role in determining the performance of nanoconjugates in living subjects, and a lot of effort has been directed to this area. This chapter attempts to review the current status of biomolecule-nanoparticle conjugate preparation and use, with an emphasis on introducing the methodologies that have been developed to achieve a physiologically stable and functioning extendable nanoparticle coating.
INTRODUCTIONNanoparticle-based contrast agents, with their unique size (several to hundreds of nanometers in diameter) and physical properties (magnetic, optical, acoustic, etc.), hold great promise for revolutionizing current radiologic methodologies by offering more accurate, specific, and detailed imaging at both the cellular and subcellular levels. Recent Nanoplatform-Based Molecular Imaging Edited by Xiaoyuan Chen