NanoCarb Glossary
AMG
AMG stands for Autometallography, a technique used for the visualization of metals (gold, silver, metal sulphides) present in biological tissues. The tissue section is covered by a silver lactate or bromide emulsion and exposed to a chemical developer to amplify the accumulation of gold, silver, etc.
BLI
Bio-layer interferometry (BLI) is a label-free technology for measuring biomolecular interactions. This involves a layer of immobilized protein on the biosensor tip, and a binding partner in solution. Any change in the number of molecules bound to the biosensor tip causes a shift in the interference pattern that can be measured in real-time.
Dissemination
The public disclosure of the results by any appropriate means (other than resulting from protecting or exploiting the results).
Exploitation
Using and recognising exploitable results and their stakeholders for further research activities other than those covered by the action concerned, or in developing, creating and providing a product, process, service or standardisation activities.
Glycan
General term used to describe the carbohydrate portion of a glycoconjugate. The number of monosaccharides, composition ,configuration and linkage will depend on the type of cell producing this biomolecule.
Glycoconjugate
A type of compound consisting of carbohydrate units covalently linked with other types of chemical constituent, such as peptides, proteins or lipids.
Lectins
Lectins are proteins involved in immune responses, characterized by their ability to recognize and bind specific carbohydrates.
Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)
LSPR is an optical phenomena generated by a light wave trapped within conductive nanoparticles smaller than the wavelength of light. The electromagnetic field remains localized in a nanoscale region around the nanoparticle-dielectric interface.
Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA)
NTA allows the determination of a size distribution profile of small particles with a diameter of approximately 10-1000 nanometers (nm) in liquid suspension. It relates the rate of Brownian motion to particle size.
Protein corona
After systemic administration, nanomaterials are exposed to various physiological fluids, mostly blood. There are several thousand proteins in blood and the adsorption of such proteins on nanoparticles (NPs) can modify properties of NPs. The layers consisting of bound or adsorbed proteins around NPs are called as protein corona.
Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR)
SPR is an optical detection technology which allows to monitor in real time the interaction between two unlabelled molecules, one immobilized on a sensor chip and the other flowing in a microfluidic channel. The SPR response reflects a change in mass concentration at the detector surface as the flowing molecules bind or dissociate.
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
A high resolution microscope that uses an electron-beam that goes through the sample making able the characterization of structural and analytical objects at the nanoscale, excellent to understand the cell architecture and its function.