Biosensor Technology: A Brief History

Abstract

Biosensors use a combination of biological receptor compounds (antibody, enzyme, nucleic acid, etc.) and the physical or physic–chemical transducer directing, in most cases, “real–time” observation of a specific biological event (e.g. antibody–antigen interaction). They allow the detection of a broad spectrum of analytes in complex sample matrices, and have shown great promise in areas such as clinical diagnostics, food analysis, bio process and environmental monitoring. Biosensors may be divided into six basic groups, depending on the method of signal transduction: optical, mass, electrochemical, magnetic, micromechanical and thermal sensors. This paper aims to give an brief tutorial of biosensor technology.