PEI Conjugated Gold Nanoparticles: Efficient Gene Carriers with Visible Fluorescence

Low molecular weight polyethyleneimines were conjugated onto gold nanoparticles to form Au-PEI conjugates. Au-PEI is the first reported gene carrier which has both high transfection efficiency and strong fluorescence. Au-PEI showed higher transfection efficiency and it can be used for bioimaging because it can be detected by confocal laser scanning microscopy and in vivo bioimaging system.