Microbial Biosensors Past, Present And Future
...into an electrical signal. Biosensors consist of three major parts, the sensitive biological element (tissue, microorganisms, enzymes etc.), the transducer, and the detector element which works physicochemically. The major component of a biosensor is the transducer, which uses the physical changes of a reaction to produce an effect. Such physical changes could be thermal output, electrical potential change, redox reaction, electromagnetic radiation etc. The triggered electrical output from the transducer can then be amplified, processed, displayed and analyzed. Biosensors are a rapidly expanding field of study with an estimated annual growth rate of 60%, with the majority of the growth coming from the health-care industry.
The biosensor concept can be traced back to Professor Leland C Clark Junior, who invented the oxygen electrode in 1956. He wanted to expand the range of analytes that we could measure in the body. His first experiment involved entrapping glucose oxidase enzyme in an oxygen electrode using a dialysis membrane. The observed decrease in oxygen concentration was proportional to glucose concentration. This is the first of many variations of the basic biosensor design that emerged out of Dr Clark's concept. Through the next several decades, the biosensor technology took off radically as a variety of new devices was discovered including enzymes, nucleic acids, and cell receptors. In looking at the historical development of this technology, 1980's was certainly the inventive decade, with commercialization being the theme in the 1990's.
Biosensors' primary functions in terms of research and commercial applications are identifying target molecules, identifying the availability of a suitable biological recognition element, and the potential for disposable detection systems to replace sensitive lab techniques. Examples of these functions include...
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