Transducers metabolic sensors

On the other hand, the molecular recognition by enzymes, which are also applied in the form of organelles, microorganisms and tissue slices, is accompanied by chemical conversion of the analyte to the respective products. Therefore this type of sensor is termed a metabolism sensor2. The initial state is usually reached when the analyte conversion is complete. With metabolism sensors, under certain conditions cosubstrates, effectors, and enzyme activities can be measured via substrate determination. Amperometric and potentiometric electrodes and thermistors are the preferred transducers, but in some cases optoelectronic sensors have also been used. With biomimetic sensors physical signals such as sound, stress, or light are measured through their ability to... 

The third chapter concentrates on metabolism sensors, which are arranged according to the degree of biocatalyst integration. The various different ways of coupling enzymes with transducers in monoenzyme sensors are exemplified by the determination of glucose and urea. The current state of the art is shown for monoenzyme sensors for some further 25 analytes and classes of analytes. Coupled enzyme reactions are shown to provide expansion of the biosensor concept to new analytes and to multiparameter assays as well as to an improvement of such analytical parameters as specificity and sensitivity. This chapter offers for the first time a complete overview of the potentials of coupled enzyme reactions in biosensors. 

Both metabolism sensors and affinity sensors can be designed using electrochemical transducers for the signal generation, as will be discussed in detail below. However, before evaluating specific features of electrochemical biosensors, some general aspects of the qualification of biosensor properties have to be discussed. 

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