AuNP distribution within mouse liver following IP injection.

<p>AuNPs in (A) the liver connective tissue and (B) a 5 µm capillary within the liver adipose tissue (Mag 5.00K x), and in (C) a Kupffer cell within the sinusoid of the liver (Mag 4.19K x).</p

Abdominal adipose tissue distribution of AuNPs following intraperitoneal injection into mice.

<p>Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of abdominal adipose tissue in (A) control mouse and (B) AuNP-injected mouse at 24 h (Mag 2.01K x). (C, D) Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) images of abdominal adipose tissue at 24 h. (C) displaying the carbon present throughout the tissue sample, of medium to low signal intensity, (D) displays the gold present throughout the tissue sample, concentrated around the periphery of a portion of tissue within the section, of medium to high intensity. The strength of the signal transmitted for a selected element is represented by a corresponding colour, blue signifying the lowest signal strength and red the highest.</p

Changes in mRNA cytokine expression levels in mouse abdominal fat tissue at different time points post IP injection of AuNPs.

<p>mRNA levels of (A) CD68, (B) TNFα and (C) IL-6 in abdominal fat at different time points post AuNPs injection. Results are expressed as mean ± SE, n = 4–8 in each group. *P<0.05, compared with Control group. CON, control; Au, AuNPs. The differences among groups were analysed using one-way ANOVA, followed by <i>post hoc</i> Fisher's Least Significance Difference tests.</p

Localisation of AuNPs within specific mouse tissues following IP injection.

<p>Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of AuNPs in adipose tissue (A, B, C) and liver sections (D, E, F) at 1 h (A, D), 24 h (B, E), and 72 h (C, F) post AuNP injection (Mag 2.01K x).</p