Silica-coated nanoparticles functionalized with biologically active molecules such as antibodies and nucleotides are used to label cells, to detect and isolate nucleic acid molecules having specific nucleotide sequences, and to separate a mixture of different nucleic acid molecules.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Nos. 60/375,122 and 60/374,405, both of which were filed on Apr. 22, 2002.
