The molecules of our body are in constant communication with each other. Some of them can tell us important information regarding the state of health of the body, the effectiveness of therapy or the course of the infection. If we might recognize these signals in real time, then we would be able to diagnose diseases faster. A new transistor technology developed in the US opens up the possibility of creating just such medical implants.
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a new technology that makes it easier to eavesdrop on the body’s internal communications. Although the chemical signals that our body gives are extremely weak, the transistors created by scientists can amplify them by more than 1000 times. The new approach facilitates signal detection without complicated and bulky electronics, writes Science Daily.
Many of today’s chemical sensors produce a signal too weak to be used effectively, so health professionals often cannot decipher it without taking a biological sample and doing laboratory analysis. This takes a lot of time and effort. The new sensors are able to amplify internal signals, so you don’t have to analyze samples.
The scientists decided to use aptamers, DNA molecules that bind to specific targets, as electrochemical sensors. When connected to such a target, they act as an electronic switch, folding into a new structure that triggers an electrochemical signal. However, a system of aptamers alone gives a weak signal and is prone to interference.
To overcome this problem, the scientists were helped by an amplifying component connected to a traditional sensor with electrodes, as well as an electrochemical transistor with a new architecture, which is able to perceive and amplify a weak biochemical signal. In the new device, the electrode is used to receive the signal, and its adjacent transistor amplifies it. The built-in thin-film reference electrode makes the amplified signals more stable and reliable.
In order to test the invention, the researchers took a common cytokine protein that regulates the immune response. By measuring the concentration of cytokines near damaged tissues, they were able to assess the rate of healing, the presence of a new infection, and understand whether medical intervention is required. In a series of experiments, the scientists were able to amplify cytokine signals by three to four orders of magnitude compared to conventional methods for measuring aptamers.
The team is convinced that the booster will perform just as well with any other molecule or chemical, including antibodies, hormones, or drugs. Scientists suggest that their invention will form the basis of implantable biosensors or wearable devices that will be able to diagnose and respond to problems in the body.
Light guide properties of spider silk allowed Chinese scientists to develop practical, compact and biocompatible sensors capable of detecting and measuring subtle changes in the refractive index of biological solutions, such as glucose. Perhaps one day such a sensor will be used to determine the level of sugar in the blood or for other biochemical analyzes.