Controlling loading and optical properties of gold nanoparticles on liposome membranes

Gold nanoparticle-loaded liposomes can serve as important biophysical and biochemical tools. A rapid, green, one-step synthetic method has been used for direct and controlled loading of gold nanoparticles onto liposomes. The effects of various synthetic parameters on nanoparticle loading as well as on optical properties of the liposome-anchored nanoparticles are discussed. Gold nanoparticle-loaded individual liposomes have been characterized by dark-field microscopy and optical spectroscopy.