Bio-inspired
polymeric nanochannel (also referred as nanopore)-based
biosensors have attracted considerable attention on account of their
controllable channel size and shape, multi-functional surface chemistry,
unique ionic transport properties, and good robustness for applications.
There are already very informative reviews on the latest developments
in solid-state artificial nanochannel-based biosensors, however, which
concentrated on the resistive-pulse sensing-based sensors for practical
applications. The steady-state sensing-based nanochannel biosensors,
in principle, have significant advantages over their counterparts
in term of high sensitivity, fast response, target analytes with no
size limit, and extensive suitable range. Furthermore, among the diverse
materials, nanochannels based on polymeric materials perform outstandingly,
due to flexible fabrication and wide application. This compressive
Review summarizes the recent advances in bio-inspired polymeric nanochannels
as sensing platforms for detection of important analytes in living
organisms, to meet the high demand for high-performance biosensors
for analysis of target analytes, and the potential for development
of smart sensing devices. In the future, research efforts can be focused
on transport mechanisms in the field of steady-state or resistive-pulse
nanochannel-based sensors and on developing precisely size-controlled,
robust, miniature and reusable, multi-functional, and high-throughput
biosensors for practical applications. Future efforts should aim at
a deeper understanding of the principles at the molecular level and
incorporating these diverse pore architectures into homogeneous and
defect-free multi-channel membrane systems. With the rapid advancement
of nanoscience and biotechnology, we believe that many more achievements
in nanochannel-based biosensors could be achieved in the near future,
serving people in a better way.