Temperature effects on neuron-based chemical sensing in well-mixed flow environments

Bioanalytical and chemical sensors using living taste, olfactory, and neural cells and tissues: a short review

Biosensors utilizing living tissues and cells have recently gained significant attention as functional devices for chemical sensing and biochemical analysis. These devices integrate biological components (i.e. single cells, cell networks, tissues) with micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)-based sensors and transducers. Various types of cells and tissues derived from natural and bioengineered sources have been used as recognition and sensing elements, which are generally characterized by high sensitivity and specificity. This review summarizes the state of the art in tissue- and cell-based biosensing platforms with an emphasis on those using taste, olfactory, and neural cells and tissues. Many of these devices employ unique integration strategies and sensing schemes based on sensitive transducers including microelectrode arrays (MEAs), field effect transistors (FETs), and light-addressable potentiometric sensors (LAPSs). Several groups have coupled these hybrid biosensors with microfluidics which offers added benefits of small sample volumes and enhanced automation. While this technology is currently limited to lab settings due to the limited stability of living biological components, further research to enhance their robustness will enable these devices to be employed in field and clinical settings.

Biomagnetic neurosensors

Non-invasive measurement of the neuromodulatory activity of certain analytes is now possible through the use of biomagnetic stimulation and detection techniques. The timely development of room-temperature instrumentation and of more effective techniques for coupling neurons to transducers are the critical elements for rapid progress in this field.

Bispecific antibody modification of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors for biosensing

Recent results show that bispecific antibodies can be used to tailor the selectivity of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors for biosensing purposes. The nicotinic acetylcholine receptors reconstituted in bilayer lipid membranes are inactivated when two bispecific antibodies, attached to the same receptor, bind to a single antigen molecule. Experiments with patch clamp recording equipment reveal that antigen levels of 10(-8) M completely and irreversibly inactivate small numbers of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. This approach may lead to the construction of biosensors capable of detecting individual antibody-antigen (Ab-Ag) binding events.