Nanoelectronic biosensing of dynamic cellular activities based on nanostructured materials.

Abstract

Detecting subtle cellular activities that occur dynamically as regulated temporally

and spatially by molecular machinery is of obvious importance in fundamental

biology as well as in drug discovery. Additionally, it demands fast and

sensitive detection modality. The emerging nanoelectronic biosensors based

on nanostructured materials have shown promising potential to resolve

the dynamic biological processes of living cells with high sensitivity and high

temporal and spatial resolution. Here, the recent advances in the nanoelectronic

biosensing of regulated secretion of biomolecules and bioelectrical

activities of ion channels using carbon nanotubes and silicon nanowires are

briefl y reviewed. The perspectives and key issues of future development are

also discussed.