Review—Intracellular Sensors Based on Carbonaceous Nanomaterials: A Review

Abstract

In recent years, carbon nanomaterials and their derivatives/composites have attracted much attention for their role in new developments in the field of biosensors due to their unique electronic, optical, thermal and mechanical properties in biosensors, which inspires us to compile this review. To focus on the relationship between cell biology and some diseases (e.g., cancer or diabetes), this review describes the applications of various types of carbon nanomaterials in intracellular sensors. We also introduce four kinds of intracellular sensors based on carbon nanomaterials, including intracellular pH sensors, intracellular thermal sensors, intracellular metal ions sensors, intracellular biomolecule sensors. Then, we briefly summarize the applications of carbon nanomaterials based intracellular sensors for diagnosis or treatment of various diseases. Finally, a future perspective and the challenges of intracellular sensors based on carbon nanomaterials are briefly rendered.