Abstract
Molecular diagnosis is based on target detection associated with many diseases and abnormalities. Common analytical techniques have disadvantages in the diagnosis. In contrast, biosensors are performed quick and selective detection of various markers. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor allows qualitative and quantitative measurements without labelling and frequently used in medical applications. Recent developments in various emerging disciplines have allowed the design of novel bioreceptors for SPR biosensors. In recent years, the use of bioreceptors combined with nanotechnology and molecular imprinting technologies has increased in SPR instruments. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are synthetic polymeric materials and provide specific and selective recognition sites for the target of interest. MIPs as bioreceptor show unique features compared to natural receptors. Therefore, MIP-based bioreceptors in SPR sensors have gained more attention recently. This chapter primarily focuses on the status and applications of nano-MIP-based SPR biosensors for the molecular diagnosis.
TopIntroduction
The talk of Richard Feynman titled ‘There’s plenty of room at the bottom’ has induced to open a new era known as nanotechnology. Feynman never used the term ‘nanotechnology’ in his speech, but what Feynman meant by 'plenty of room' was the possible predictions of what we want to happen in the future when we exceed our molecular limits (Toumey, 2009). The term of nano originates from the Greek word of ‘nanos’ which means ‘dwarf’ (Dagar & Bagchi, 2020). Nanotechnology is the synthesis, design, production and characterization of material, device and system with at least one dimension is on one nano nanometer equal to one billionth of a meter (Sahoo, Parveen, & Panda, 2007). Nanotechnology have applications in the areas of environment, agriculture, engineering, food science, security, space and medicine (Bhattacharyya, Singh, & Satnalika, 2009). Nanotechnology based therapies and diagnostics are two major application areas of this discipline for medical sciences (Saxena, Nyodu, Kumar, & Maurya, 2020).
Molecular diagnosis is based on bio-interactions between molecular targets and specific receptors. The selectivity in these interactions is important for the effectiveness of diagnosis. Effective selectivity enables the desired reliable measurement, quantification and validation in molecular diagnosis (Johnson, Zhukovsky, Cass, & Nagy, 2008). Nanotechnology-based disciplines and rapid advances in these disciplines have led to significant advances in diagnostic techniques. Nanomaterial-based molecular detection systems increase the speed, sensitivity, reliability, flexibility and reusability of diagnosis (Syedmoradi et al., 2017). Nanotechnology based diagnostic systems have detected biological targets which cannot be detected by some conventional techniques and provided more effective decision-making in the disease process, reduced treatment costs and effective treatment in early diagnosis. In addition, a cost-effective analysis process is carried out by working with small sample volumes with the use of nanomaterials as ligand. Although genomics, proteomic and microarray-based detection systems have been widely used, these techniques have some limitations in use. However, nanotechnology based biosensing systems have been the most outstanding candidates in molecular diagnosis (Jain, 2005).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Surface Plasmon Resonance: The excitation and propagation of electromagnetic waves in a layer between the metal surface and the analyte.
Nanomaterial: It is a kind of material in which at least particle size of the half of the nanoparticle number in the particle distribution is 100 nm and below.
Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP): It is a polymer matrix designed for the 3D synthetic receptors of the desired molecule.
Molecular Imprinting: Molecular imprinting is an emerging approach for creating and designing artificial recognition sites in a polymer matrix
Biosensor: Biosensor is an analytical device included a recognition part (bioreceptor) and transducers to detect target molecule.
Bioreceptor: It is the part of the biosensor that interacts with the target molecule.
Transducer: It is the part of biosensor where the biointeractions turn into a measurable signal.