Biosensors

3 pages, 93 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Biosensors Best Paper Award 2015

by Jeff D. Newman

Biosensors 2015, 5(2), 364-366; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios5020364 - 23 Jun 2015

Viewed by 4436

With the start of 2015, Biosensors is instituting an annual award to recognize outstanding papers related to science and technology of biosensors and biosensing that meet the aims, scope and high standards of this journal.[...] Full article

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27 pages, 839 KiB

Open AccessReview

Development of Functional Fluorescent Molecular Probes for the Detection of Biological Substances

by Yoshio Suzuki and Kenji Yokoyama

Biosensors 2015, 5(2), 337-363; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios5020337 - 18 Jun 2015

Cited by 77 | Viewed by 12730

Abstract

This review is confined to sensors that use fluorescence to transmit biochemical information. Fluorescence is, by far, the most frequently exploited phenomenon for chemical sensors and biosensors. Parameters that define the application of such sensors include intensity, decay time, anisotropy, quenching efficiency, and [...] Read more.

This review is confined to sensors that use fluorescence to transmit biochemical information. Fluorescence is, by far, the most frequently exploited phenomenon for chemical sensors and biosensors. Parameters that define the application of such sensors include intensity, decay time, anisotropy, quenching efficiency, and luminescence energy transfer. To achieve selective (bio)molecular recognition based on these fluorescence phenomena, various fluorescent elements such as small organic molecules, enzymes, antibodies, and oligonucleotides have been designed and synthesized over the past decades. This review describes the immense variety of fluorescent probes that have been designed for the recognitions of ions, small and large molecules, and their biological applications in terms of intracellular fluorescent imaging techniques. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fluorescence Based Sensing Technologies)

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18 pages, 1144 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Two-Dimensional Algal Collection and Assembly by Combining AC-Dielectrophoresis with Fluorescence Detection for Contaminant-Induced Oxidative Stress Sensing

by Coralie Siebman, Orlin D. Velev and Vera I. Slaveykova

Biosensors 2015, 5(2), 319-336; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios5020319 - 15 Jun 2015

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 7633

Abstract

An alternative current (AC) dielectrophoretic lab-on-chip setup was evaluated as a rapid tool of capture and assembly of microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in two-dimensional (2D) close-packed arrays. An electric field of 100 V·cm⁻¹, 100 Hz applied for 30 min was found [...] Read more.

An alternative current (AC) dielectrophoretic lab-on-chip setup was evaluated as a rapid tool of capture and assembly of microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in two-dimensional (2D) close-packed arrays. An electric field of 100 V·cm⁻¹, 100 Hz applied for 30 min was found optimal to collect and assemble the algae into single-layer structures of closely packed cells without inducing cellular oxidative stress. Combined with oxidative stress specific staining and fluorescence microscopy detection, the capability of using the 2D whole-cell assembly on-chip to follow the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and oxidative stress during short-term exposure to several environmental contaminants, including mercury, methylmercury, copper, copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs), and diuron was explored. The results showed significant increase of the cellular ROS when C. reinhardtii was exposed to high concentrations of methylmercury, CuO-NPs, and 10⁻⁵ M Cu. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of combining AC-dielectrophoretically assembled two-dimensional algal structures with cell metabolic analysis using fluorescence staining, as a rapid analytical tool for probing the effect of contaminants in highly impacted environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell and Organ on Chip: Challenges and Advances)

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11 pages, 571 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Pixel Photon Counters for Optofluidic Characterization of Particles and Microalgae

by Pouya Asrar, Marta Sucur and Nastaran Hashemi

Biosensors 2015, 5(2), 308-318; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios5020308 - 12 Jun 2015

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 7729

Abstract

We have developed an optofluidic biosensor to study microscale particles and different species of microalgae. The system is comprised of a microchannel with a set of chevron-shaped grooves. The chevrons allows for hydrodynamic focusing of the core stream in the center using a [...] Read more.

We have developed an optofluidic biosensor to study microscale particles and different species of microalgae. The system is comprised of a microchannel with a set of chevron-shaped grooves. The chevrons allows for hydrodynamic focusing of the core stream in the center using a sheath fluid. The device is equipped with a new generation of highly sensitive photodetectors, multi-pixel photon counter (MPPC), with high gain values and an extremely small footprint. Two different sizes of high intensity fluorescent microspheres and three different species of algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strain 21 gr, Chlamydomonas suppressor, and Chlorella sorokiniana) were studied. The forward scattering emissions generated by samples passing through the interrogation region were carried through a multimode fiber, located in 135 degree with respect to the excitation fiber, and detected by a MPPC. The signal outputs obtained from each sample were collected using a data acquisition system and utilized for further statistical analysis. Larger particles or cells demonstrated larger peak height and width, and consequently larger peak area. The average signal output (integral of the peak) for Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strain 21 gr, Chlamydomonas suppressor, and Chlorella sorokiniana falls between the values found for the 3.2 and 10.2 μm beads. Different types of algae were also successfully characterized. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosensors in Environmental Studies)

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20 pages, 1105 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparative Study of Physiological Monitoring with a Wearable Opto-Electronic Patch Sensor (OEPS) for Motion Reduction

by Abdullah Alzahrani, Sijung Hu and Vicente Azorin-Peris

Biosensors 2015, 5(2), 288-307; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios5020288 - 8 Jun 2015

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 8205

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative study in physiological monitoring between a wearable opto-electronic patch sensor (OEPS) comprising a three-axis Microelectromechanical systems (MEMs) accelerometer (3MA) and commercial devices. The study aims to effectively capture critical physiological parameters, for instance, oxygen saturation, heart rate, respiration [...] Read more.

This paper presents a comparative study in physiological monitoring between a wearable opto-electronic patch sensor (OEPS) comprising a three-axis Microelectromechanical systems (MEMs) accelerometer (3MA) and commercial devices. The study aims to effectively capture critical physiological parameters, for instance, oxygen saturation, heart rate, respiration rate and heart rate variability, as extracted from the pulsatile waveforms captured by OEPS against motion artefacts when using the commercial probe. The protocol involved 16 healthy subjects and was designed to test the features of OEPS, with emphasis on the effective reduction of motion artefacts through the utilization of a 3MA as a movement reference. The results show significant agreement between the heart rates from the reference measurements and the recovered signals. Significance of standard deviation and error of mean yield values of 2.27 and 0.65 beats per minute, respectively; and a high correlation (0.97) between the results of the commercial sensor and OEPS. T, Wilcoxon and Bland-Altman with 95% limit of agreement tests were also applied in the comparison of heart rates extracted from these sensors, yielding a mean difference (MD: 0.08). The outcome of the present work incites the prospects of OEPS on physiological monitoring during physical activities. Full article

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12 pages, 521 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) for the Evaluation of Shear-Force-Dependent Bacterial Adhesion

by Oleksandr Zagorodko, Julie Bouckaert, Tetiana Dumych, Rostyslav Bilyy, Iban Larroulet, Aritz Yanguas Serrano, Dimitri Alvarez Dorta, Sebastien G. Gouin, Stefan-Ovidiu Dima, Florin Oancea, Rabah Boukherroub and Sabine Szunerits

Biosensors 2015, 5(2), 276-287; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios5020276 - 26 May 2015

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 7788

Abstract

The colonization of Escherichia coli (E. coli) to host cell surfaces is known to be a glycan-specific process that can be modulated by shear stress. In this work we investigate whether flow rate changes in microchannels integrated on surface plasmon resonance [...] Read more.

The colonization of Escherichia coli (E. coli) to host cell surfaces is known to be a glycan-specific process that can be modulated by shear stress. In this work we investigate whether flow rate changes in microchannels integrated on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) surfaces would allow for investigating such processes in an easy and high-throughput manner. We demonstrate that adhesion of uropathogenic E. coli UTI89 on heptyl α-d-mannopyranoside-modified gold SPR substrates is minimal under almost static conditions (flow rates of 10 µL·min⁻¹), and reaches a maximum at flow rates of 30 µL·min⁻¹ (≈30 mPa). This concept is applicable to the investigation of any ligand-pathogen interactions, offering a robust, easy, and fast method for screening adhesion characteristics of pathogens to ligand-modified interfaces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Affinity Sensors)

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35 pages, 2199 KiB

Open AccessReview

Modified Electrodes Used for Electrochemical Detection of Metal Ions in Environmental Analysis

by Gregory March, Tuan Dung Nguyen and Benoit Piro

Biosensors 2015, 5(2), 241-275; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios5020241 - 29 Apr 2015

Cited by 291 | Viewed by 23382

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution is one of the most serious environmental problems, and regulations are becoming stricter. Many efforts have been made to develop sensors for monitoring heavy metals in the environment. This review aims at presenting the different label-free strategies used to develop [...] Read more.

Heavy metal pollution is one of the most serious environmental problems, and regulations are becoming stricter. Many efforts have been made to develop sensors for monitoring heavy metals in the environment. This review aims at presenting the different label-free strategies used to develop electrochemical sensors for the detection of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic etc. The first part of this review will be dedicated to stripping voltammetry techniques, on unmodified electrodes (mercury, bismuth or noble metals in the bulk form), or electrodes modified at their surface by nanoparticles, nanostructures (CNT, graphene) or other innovative materials such as boron-doped diamond. The second part will be dedicated to chemically modified electrodes especially those with conducting polymers. The last part of this review will focus on bio-modified electrodes. Special attention will be paid to strategies using biomolecules (DNA, peptide or proteins), enzymes or whole cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Label-Free Biosensors: Exploring the Field)

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18 pages, 694 KiB

Open AccessReview

Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Quantification of Receptor Pharmacology

by Ye Fang

Biosensors 2015, 5(2), 223-240; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios5020223 - 27 Apr 2015

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 10400

Abstract

Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy has been widely used as a single molecule imaging technique to study various fundamental aspects of cell biology, owing to its ability to selectively excite a very thin fluorescent volume immediately above the substrate on which the [...] Read more.

Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy has been widely used as a single molecule imaging technique to study various fundamental aspects of cell biology, owing to its ability to selectively excite a very thin fluorescent volume immediately above the substrate on which the cells are grown. However, TIRF microscopy has found little use in high content screening due to its complexity in instrumental setup and experimental procedures. Inspired by the recent demonstration of label-free evanescent wave biosensors for cell phenotypic profiling and drug screening with high throughput, we had hypothesized and demonstrated that TIRF imaging is also amenable to receptor pharmacology profiling. This paper reviews key considerations and recent applications of TIRF imaging for pharmacology profiling. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fluorescence Based Sensing Technologies)

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24 pages, 893 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of xCELLigence RTCA Biosensor Technology for Revealing the Profile and Window of Drug Responsiveness in Real Time

by Dan Kho, Christa MacDonald, Rebecca Johnson, Charles P. Unsworth, Simon J. O'Carroll, Elyce Du Mez, Catherine E. Angel and E. Scott Graham

Biosensors 2015, 5(2), 199-222; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios5020199 - 16 Apr 2015

Cited by 146 | Viewed by 22794

Abstract

The xCELLigence technology is a real-time cellular biosensor, which measures the net adhesion of cells to high-density gold electrode arrays printed on custom-designed E-plates. The strength of cellular adhesion is influenced by a myriad of factors that include cell type, cell viability, growth, [...] Read more.

The xCELLigence technology is a real-time cellular biosensor, which measures the net adhesion of cells to high-density gold electrode arrays printed on custom-designed E-plates. The strength of cellular adhesion is influenced by a myriad of factors that include cell type, cell viability, growth, migration, spreading and proliferation. We therefore hypothesised that xCELLigence biosensor technology would provide a valuable platform for the measurement of drug responses in a multitude of different experimental, clinical or pharmacological contexts. In this manuscript, we demonstrate how xCELLigence technology has been invaluable in the identification of (1) not only if cells respond to a particular drug, but (2) the window of drug responsiveness. The latter aspect is often left to educated guess work in classical end-point assays, whereas biosensor technology reveals the temporal profile of the response in real time, which enables both acute responses and longer term responses to be profiled within the same assay. In our experience, the xCELLigence biosensor technology is suitable for highly targeted drug assessment and also low to medium throughput drug screening, which produces high content temporal data in real time. Full article

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12 pages, 980 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Validation of the Sensitivity of Waveguide Grating Based Refractometric (Bio)sensors

by Thomas E. Gartmann and Florian Kehl

Biosensors 2015, 5(2), 187-198; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios5020187 - 13 Apr 2015

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 8753

Abstract

Despite the fact that the theoretical foundations of the sensitivity of waveguide grating based (bio)sensors are well-known, understood and their implications anticipated by the scientific community since several decades, to our knowledge, no prior publication has experimentally confirmed waveguide sensitivity for multiple film [...] Read more.

Despite the fact that the theoretical foundations of the sensitivity of waveguide grating based (bio)sensors are well-known, understood and their implications anticipated by the scientific community since several decades, to our knowledge, no prior publication has experimentally confirmed waveguide sensitivity for multiple film thicknesses, wavelengths and polarization of the propagating light. In this paper, the bulk refractive index sensitivity versus waveguide thickness of said refractometric sensors is experimentally determined and compared with predictions based on established theory. The effective refractive indices and the corresponding sensitivity were determined via the sensors’ coupling angles at different cover refractive indices for transverse electric as well as transverse magnetic polarized illumination at various wavelengths in the visible and near-infrared. The theoretical sensitivity was calculated by solving the mode equation for a three layer waveguide. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Label-Free Biosensors: Exploring the Field)

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15 pages, 2719 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Scanning TMR Microscope for Biosensor Applications

by Kunal N. Vyas, David M. Love, Adrian Ionescu, Justin Llandro, Pratap Kollu, Thanos Mitrelias, Stuart Holmes and Crispin H. W. Barnes

Biosensors 2015, 5(2), 172-186; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios5020172 - 2 Apr 2015

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 7262

Abstract

We present a novel tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) scanning microscopeset-up capable of quantitatively imaging the magnetic stray field patterns of micron-sizedelements in 3D. By incorporating an Anderson loop measurement circuit for impedancematching, we are able to detect magnetoresistance changes of as little as 0.006%/Oe. [...] Read more.

We present a novel tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) scanning microscopeset-up capable of quantitatively imaging the magnetic stray field patterns of micron-sizedelements in 3D. By incorporating an Anderson loop measurement circuit for impedancematching, we are able to detect magnetoresistance changes of as little as 0.006%/Oe. By 3Drastering a mounted TMR sensor over our magnetic barcodes, we are able to characterisethe complex domain structures by displaying the real component, the amplitude and thephase of the sensor’s impedance. The modular design, incorporating a TMR sensor withan optical microscope, renders this set-up a versatile platform for studying and imagingimmobilised magnetic carriers and barcodes currently employed in biosensor platforms,magnetotactic bacteria and other complex magnetic domain structures of micron-sizedentities. The quantitative nature of the instrument and its ability to produce vector maps ofmagnetic stray fields has the potential to provide significant advantages over other commonlyused scanning magnetometry techniques. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Magnetic Biosensors)

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14 pages, 894 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biconically Tapered Fiber Optic Probes for Rapid Label-Free Immunoassays

by John Miller, Angelica Castaneda, Kun Ho Lee, Martin Sanchez, Adrian Ortiz, Ekrem Almaz, Zuleyha Turkoglu Almaz, Shelton Murinda, Wei-Jen Lin and Ertan Salik

Biosensors 2015, 5(2), 158-171; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios5020158 - 1 Apr 2015

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 8968

Abstract

We report use of U-shaped biconically tapered optical fibers (BTOF) as probes for label-free immunoassays. The tapered regions of the sensors were functionalized by immobilization of immunoglobulin-G (Ig-G) and tested for detection of anti-IgG at concentrations of 50 ng/mL to 50 µg/mL. Antibody-antigen [...] Read more.

We report use of U-shaped biconically tapered optical fibers (BTOF) as probes for label-free immunoassays. The tapered regions of the sensors were functionalized by immobilization of immunoglobulin-G (Ig-G) and tested for detection of anti-IgG at concentrations of 50 ng/mL to 50 µg/mL. Antibody-antigen reaction creates a biological nanolayer modifying the waveguide structure leading to a change in the sensor signal, which allows real-time monitoring. The kinetics of the antibody (mouse Ig-G)-antigen (rabbit anti-mouse IgG) reactions was studied. Hydrofluoric acid treatment makes the sensitive region thinner to enhance sensitivity, which we confirmed by experiments and simulations. The limit of detection for the sensor was estimated to be less than 50 ng/mL. Utilization of the rate of the sensor peak shift within the first few minutes of the antibody-antigen reaction is proposed as a rapid protein detection method. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Label-Free Biosensors: Exploring the Field)

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17 pages, 1217 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Label-Free Imaging and Biochemical Characterization of Bovine Sperm Cells

by Maria Antonietta Ferrara, Giuseppe Di Caprio, Stefano Managò, Annalisa De Angelis, Luigi Sirleto, Giuseppe Coppola and Anna Chiara De Luca

Biosensors 2015, 5(2), 141-157; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios5020141 - 1 Apr 2015

Cited by 46 | Viewed by 9645

Abstract

A full label-free morphological and biochemical characterization is desirable to select spermatozoa during preparation for artificial insemination. In order to study these fundamental parameters, we take advantage of two attractive techniques: digital holography (DH) and Raman spectroscopy (RS). DH presents new opportunities for [...] Read more.

A full label-free morphological and biochemical characterization is desirable to select spermatozoa during preparation for artificial insemination. In order to study these fundamental parameters, we take advantage of two attractive techniques: digital holography (DH) and Raman spectroscopy (RS). DH presents new opportunities for studying morphological aspect of cells and tissues non-invasively, quantitatively and without the need for staining or tagging, while RS is a very specific technique allowing the biochemical analysis of cellular components with a spatial resolution in the sub-micrometer range. In this paper, morphological and biochemical bovine sperm cell alterations were studied using these techniques. In addition, a complementary DH and RS study was performed to identify X- and Y-chromosome-bearing sperm cells. We demonstrate that the two techniques together are a powerful and highly efficient tool elucidating some important criterions for sperm morphological selection and sex-identification, overcoming many of the limitations associated with existing protocols. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Label-Free Biosensors: Exploring the Field)

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10 pages, 664 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

A Signal-On Fluorosensor Based on Quench-Release Principle for Sensitive Detection of Antibiotic Rapamycin

by Hee-Jin Jeong, Shuya Itayama and Hiroshi Ueda

Biosensors 2015, 5(2), 131-140; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios5020131 - 26 Mar 2015

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 8566

Abstract

An antibiotic rapamycin is one of the most commonly used immunosuppressive drugs, and also implicated for its anti-cancer activity. Hence, the determination of its blood level after organ transplantation or tumor treatment is of great concern in medicine. Although there are several rapamycin [...] Read more.

An antibiotic rapamycin is one of the most commonly used immunosuppressive drugs, and also implicated for its anti-cancer activity. Hence, the determination of its blood level after organ transplantation or tumor treatment is of great concern in medicine. Although there are several rapamycin detection methods, many of them have limited sensitivity, and/or need complicated procedures and long assay time. As a novel fluorescent biosensor for rapamycin, here we propose “Q’-body”, which works on the fluorescence quench-release principle inspired by the antibody-based quenchbody (Q-body) technology. We constructed rapamycin Q’-bodies by linking the two interacting domains FKBP12 and FRB, whose association is triggered by rapamycin. The fusion proteins were each incorporated position-specifically with one of fluorescence dyes ATTO520, tetramethylrhodamine, or ATTO590 using a cell-free translation system. As a result, rapid rapamycin dose-dependent fluorescence increase derived of Q’-bodies was observed, especially for those with ATTO520 with a lowest detection limit of 0.65 nM, which indicates its utility as a novel fluorescent biosensor for rapamycin. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fluorescence Based Sensing Technologies)

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Biosensors, Volume 5, Issue 2 (June 2015) – 14 articles , Pages 131-366

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