Optical biosensors for probing at the cellular level: A review of recent progress and future prospects

Abstract

New approaches are required to understand the complex processes taking place in the smallest unit of life. Recent years have seen an increasing activity in the use of optical devices and techniques for the investigation of the properties of single cells and also populations of cells including cell to cell communication. This article reviews relevant optical technologies to date as well as new advances in biosensor development, and goes on to explore reported applications in detection of biotargets and cellular signalling pathways inside individual living cells.

Enzyme Immobilization by Amperometric Biosensors with TiO2 Nanoparticles Used to Detect Phenol Compounds

“…Many developed optical biosensors are based on surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy and evanescent waves [4,26,122,138]. Such biosensors have been widely used in recent times to analyze biomolecular interactions such as the enzyme-substrate, antigen-antibody reactions, and DNA-DNA, which provide detailed information on the binding affinity and kinetics of the interaction [138], because they offer advantages of compactness, flexibility and resistance to electrical noise [81]. Abdullah et al [2] reported an optical biosensor, which used a combination of hydrazone 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone (MBTH) and a laccase enzyme.…”

Nanotechnology in Advanced Medical Devices

“…Optical methods can be employed to use multiple wavelengths on a sample without interfering with one another. This arrangement can lead to direct or indirect detection [ 49 ]. Deposition techniques can be used to produce optical biosensors.…”

Fabrication and Evaluation of Nanoparticle‐Based Biosensors

“…The major types of fl uorescence biosensing are direct, indirect, and fl uorescence resonance energy transfer ( FRET ) [34] . In direct sensing, a specifi c molecule is detected before and after the reaction takes place, whereas indirect sensing involves the addition of a dye to the sample from the outside that will optically transduce the presence of a specifi c target molecule.…”

“…In direct sensing, a specifi c molecule is detected before and after the reaction takes place, whereas indirect sensing involves the addition of a dye to the sample from the outside that will optically transduce the presence of a specifi c target molecule. Green Fluorescent Protein is frequently used as a fl uorescence tag to study the location, structure, and dynamics of molecular events within the living cells [34] . In FRET, two fl uorophores are paired in such a way that the emission wavelength of one fl uorophore (donor) overlaps with the excitation wavelength of the other (acceptor).…”