Dendron-Functionalized Surface: Efficient Strategy for Enhancing the Capture of Microvesicles

Branched, dendritic, and hyperbranched polymers in liquid biopsy device design

The development of minimally invasive tests for cancer diagnosis and prognosis will aid in the research of new treatments and improve survival rates. Liquid biopsies seek to derive actionable information from tumor material found in routine blood samples. The relative scarcity of tumor material in this complex mixture makes isolating and detecting cancerous material such as proteins, circulating tumor DNA, exosomes, and whole circulating tumor cells a challenge for device engineers. This review describes the chemistry and applications of branched and hyperbranched to improve the performance of liquid biopsy devices. These polymers can improve the performance of a liquid biopsy through several mechanisms. For example, polymers designed to increase the affinity of capture enhance device sensitivity. On the other hand, polymers designed to increase binding avidity or repel nonspecific adsorption enhance device specificity. Branched and hyperbranched polymers can also be used to amplify the signal from small amounts of detected material. The further development of hyperbranched polymers in liquid biopsy applications will enhance device capabilities and help these critical technologies reach the oncology clinic where they are sorely needed. This article is categorized under: Diagnostic Tools > Biosensing Diagnostic Tools > Diagnostic Nanodevices.

Plasmon Waveguide Resonance: Principles, Applications and Historical Perspectives on Instrument Development

Plasmon waveguide resonance (PWR) is a variant of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) that was invented about two decades ago at the University of Arizona. In addition to the characterization of the kinetics and affinity of molecular interactions, PWR possesses several advantages relative to SPR, namely, the ability to monitor both mass and structural changes. PWR allows anisotropy information to be obtained and is ideal for the investigation of molecular interactions occurring in anisotropic-oriented thin films. In this review, we will revisit main PWR applications, aiming at characterizing molecular interactions occurring (1) at lipid membranes deposited in the sensor and (2) in chemically modified sensors. Among the most widely used applications is the investigation of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) ligand activation and the study of the lipid environment’s impact on this process. Pioneering PWR studies on GPCRs were carried out thanks to the strong and effective collaboration between two laboratories in the University of Arizona leaded by Dr. Gordon Tollin and Dr. Victor J. Hruby. This review provides an overview of the main applications of PWR and provides a historical perspective on the development of instruments since the first prototype and continuous technological improvements to ongoing and future developments, aiming at broadening the information obtained and expanding the application portfolio.