Abstract
With the increasing importance of healthcare and clinical diagnosis, as well as the growing demand for highly sensitive analytical instruments, immunosensors have received considerable attention. In this review, electrochemical immunosensor signal amplification strategies using metal nanoparticles (MNPs) and quantum dots (Qdots) as tags are overviewed, focusing on recent developments in the ultrasensitive detection of biomarkers. MNPs and Qdots can be used separately or in combination with other nanostructures, while performing the function of nanocarriers, electroactive labels, or catalysts. Thus, different functions of MNPs and Qdots as well as recent advances in electrochemical signal amplification are discussed. Additionally, the methods most often used for antibody immobilization on nanoparticles, immunoassay formats, and electrochemical methods for indirect biomarker detection are overviewed.
Highlights
metal nanoparticles (MNPs), more attention is given to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) due to their wide range of advantageous properties, such as chemical stability, excellent biocompatibility, surface chemistry, large surface-to-volume ratio, and easy modification protocols, which are the focus of research and application in electrochemical immunosensors
SV, which consists of three related techniques: anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV), cathodic stripping voltammetry and adsorptive stripping voltammetry, is sensitive due to the concentration of an analyte or electroactive label when it is transferred from a larger volume of the solution to a smaller volume near the working electrode
More detailed information about the analytical characteristics of the developed immunosensors, such as limit of detection (LOD) and linear range, as well as type and size of nanoparticles and electrochemical methods used for the biomarker detection in real samples, is summarized in Table 1, grouping information depending on the function of MNPs and quantum dots (Qdots)
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. MNPs, more attention is given to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) due to their wide range of advantageous properties, such as chemical stability, excellent biocompatibility, surface chemistry, large surface-to-volume ratio, and easy modification protocols, which are the focus of research and application in electrochemical immunosensors Another type of powerful nanomaterials well known due to their high quantum yield, stability, and application in optical analytical systems, namely, Qdots, semiconductor nanocrystals, are overviewed as signal amplifying tags in electrochemical immunosensors. The properties of Qdots, such as water solubility, biocompatibility (after appropriate surface modification procedure), catalytic activity, and decomposition reactions upon reduction and oxidation [13,14], were successfully employed in the novel electrochemical immunosensors
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