Table 2.

Biomedical applications of gold nanoparticles 

Photothermal therapy	Photothermal effect has place on AuNPs after irradiation, increasing the local temperature. SA acts carrying, directing and increasing the AuNPs biocompatibility. The released heat kills or weaken malignant cells by hyperthermia.
Drug delivery	Spatially controlled: AuNPs-SA binds and carry insoluble, non-compatible or small drugs, increasing the transport and accumulation properties specifically on malignant tissues by passive targeting.
Temporally controlled: release of loaded drugs on AuNPs surface can be controlled after an external stimulus, such as light, either through surface reactions or partial decomposition of SA capsules which contains AuNPs and drugs.
Diagnostics	After AuNP-SA accumulation on malignant tissues, imaging techniques such as PA can detect localize the damaged site.
Theranostics	AuNP-SA can act as a dual system, allowing not only the detection of a malignant site through imaging techniques, but also the treatment in situ.

Notes: Normal cells, Malignant cells, Death cancer cells, Irradiation, AuNP-SA, Photothermal effect, Carried drug.