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Nanoparticles as biochemical sensors

Authors El-Ansary A, Faddah LM

Published 23 September 2010 Volume 2010:3 Pages 65—76

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/NSA.S8199

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 5



Afaf El-Ansary, Layla M Faddah
Biochemistry Department, Science College, and Pharmacology Department, Pharmacy College, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract: There is little doubt that nanoparticles offer real and new opportunities in many fields, such as biomedicine and materials science. Such particles are small enough to enter almost all areas of the body, including cells and organelles, potentially leading to new approaches in nanomedicine. Sensors for small molecules of biochemical interest are of critical importance. This review is an attempt to trace the use of nanomaterials in biochemical sensor design. The possibility of using nanoparticles functionalized with antibodies as markers for proteins will be elucidated. Moreover, capabilities and applications for nanoparticles based on gold, silver, magnetic, and semiconductor materials (quantum dots), used in optical (absorbance, luminescence, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, surface plasmon resonance), electrochemical, and mass-sensitive sensors will be highlighted. The unique ability of nanosensors to improve the analysis of biochemical fluids is discussed either through considering the use of nanoparticles for in vitro molecular diagnosis, or in the biological/biochemical analysis for in vivo interaction with the human body.

Keywords: nanoparticles, quantum dots, nanomedicine, biochemical sensors, antibodies, in vivo, in vivo

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