Membrane biosensors

There has been a surge of research activity in the physical chemistry of membranes, bilayers, and vesicles. In addition to the fundamental interest in cell membranes and phospholipid bilayers, there is tremendous motivation for the design of supported membrane biosensors for medical and pharmaceutical applications (see the recent review by Sackmann [64]). This subject, in particular its biochemical aspects, is too vast for full development here we will only briefly discuss some of the more physical aspects of these systems. The reader is referred to the general references and some additional reviews [65-69]. 

The new edition of Principles of Electrochemistry has been considerably extended by a number of new sections, particularly dealing with electrochemical material science (ion and electron conducting polymers, chemically modified electrodes), photoelectrochemistry, stochastic processes, new aspects of ion transfer across biological membranes, biosensors, etc. In view of this extension of the book we asked Dr Ladislav Kavan (the author of the section on non-electrochemical methods in the first edition) to contribute as a co-author discussing many of these topics. On the other hand it has been necessary to become less concerned with some of the classical topics the details of which are of limited importance for the reader. 

Table 6.2 Analytes measured by membrane biosensors (Yellow Springs Instruments)...

Mandl M, Macholan L (1990) Membrane biosensor for the determination of iron (II, III) based on immobilized ceils of Thiobacillus ferroxidans. Folia Microbiol 35 363-... 

Chen X, Hu Y, Wilson GS. Glucose microbiosensor based on alumina sol-gel matrix/ electropolymerized composite membrane. Biosensors Bioelectronics 2002, 17, 1005-1013. 

Eisele S, Ammon H, Kindervater R, Grobe A, Gopel W. Optimized biosensor for whole blood measurements using a new cellulose based membrane. Biosensors Bioelectronics 1994, 9, 119-124. 

Yu B, Long N, Moussy Y, Moussy F. A long-term flexible minimally-invasive implantable glucose biosensor based on an epoxy-enhanced polyurethane membrane. Biosensors Bioelectronics 2006, 21, 2275-2282. 

Schoenfisch MH, Rothrick AR, Shin JH, Polizzi MA, Brinkley MF, Dobmeier KP. Poly(vinylpyrrolidone)-doped nitric oxide-releasing xerogels as glucose biosensor membranes. Biosensors Bioelectronics 2006, 22, 306-312. 

Zaytseva, N. V., Montagna, R. A., Lee, E. M., and Baeumner, A. J. (2004) Multi-analyte single-membrane biosensor for the serotype-specific detection of Dengue virus. Anal Bio-anal Chem. 380, 46-53... 

Progress was recently made in the construction of an AC admittance modulation system for surface-stabilized lipid membrane biosensors that operated on the basis of the control of the ion permeation by artificial ion channels [40]. A portable admittance modulation measurement device was designed to measure both the in-phase and out-of-phase signal components for determination of the effective ion current and membrane capacitance, respectively [40]. The sensitivity and detection limit of this AC system were tested by studying the interaction of valinomycin with planar BLMs. The electrochemical phenomena were monitored through the in-phase component and measured as conductance changes of the membrane, providing a detection limit of 1 nM for valinomycin. 

Field-effect Transistors Enzyme FETs and immuno FETs (IMFETs) are based on principles similar to those valid in potentiometric membrane biosensors. The enzyme is immobihzed on top of the ion-selective membrane on the gate of the FET. For construction of ENFETs, usually double-gate FETs are used employing one gate as a reference system, covered only with a layer of the immobilization matrix, and allowing for the real-time compensation of pH modulations, temperature, and drift. Mostly, pH-sensitive FETs (ISFET)... 

Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the arrangement of a tissue-based membrane biosensor (A) slice of tissue (B) bovine serum albumin conjugate layer (C) carbon dioxide gas permeable membrane (D) 0-ring (E) internal electrolyte solution (F) pH-sensing glass membrane (G) plastic electrode body. (Reproduced with permission from Kurlyama S and Rechnitz GA (1981) Analytica Chimica Acta 131 91.)...

Construction membrane biosensor (electrode) reactor biosensor (FIA systems)... 

The intimate contact described above between the bioelement and the transducer is a fundamental property of membrane biosensors. On the contrary, in continuous flow systems ( reactor biosensors ) the detector is separated from the biorecognition system (see paragraph 5). In practical use, different types of test strips often serve the same purposes as biosensors. This popular technique, also called a dry reagent test system, has a big advantage in its simplicity however, it cannot achieve the accuracy and reliability of biosensors. Dry reagent tests may thus be considered as a base for optoelectronic biosensors [6]. 

Enzymes are the most frequent biocomponents used in the construction of membrane biosensors in laboratory-made and commercially pro-... 

The kinetic method for the determination of substrate concentration is advantageous, primarily because of its rapidity. It is also preferentially used with membrane biosensors. 

Koh, A., Riccio, D.A., Sun, B., Carpenter, A.W., Nichols, S.P., Schoenfisch, M.H., 2011b. Fabrication of nitric oxide-releasing polyurethane glucose sensor membranes. Biosensors and Bioelectronics 28, 17—24. 

Reimhult, E., Kumar, K., 2008, Membrane biosensor platforms using nano- and micro-porous supports, Trends Biotechnol 26(2) 82-89. 

Zhang J, Luo A, Liu P, Wei S, Wang G, Wei S (2009) Detection of organophosphmus pesticides using potentiometric enzymatic membrane biosensor based rai methylcellulose immobilization. Anal Sci 25 511-515... 

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