Tiny gold particles the size of a thousandth of a human hair can help fight tumor cells. This is what the scientists of the medical-technological research institute MIRA of the University of Twente claim.
With an animal study, the scientists have demonstrated the effectiveness of these tiny gold bars.
Antibodies
How it works? The tiny gold bars contain antibodies in the form of proteins, which ensure that the rods bind to a tumor cell. This allows surgeons to easily detect the cell in the body. The tiny gold bars are then made glowing hot with infrared light so that they destroy the tumor cell †
Clumping
A small problem:the gold bars go together in the body clunk † In order to prevent this, the gold bars were treated with a certain substance in the test, but unfortunately this also appeared to affect healthy cells. The scientists from Twente set to work again and have now found a substance that prevents clumping and is not harmful to healthy cells † In addition, the new fabric ensures that the gold particles remain invisible for the defense system for a while. so that they can get to the right place in the body.
The scientists have also proven that the gold bars remain in the body long enough to find and tackle cancer cells †
The Twente nanotechnologists work in the 'gold research' together with, among others, the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands Cancer Institute and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).
