Multi-phenotypic Cellular Arrays for Biosensing

Abstract

The term “biosensor” is a broad based term referring to a sensor that uses a biological molecule as the sensing element. A“cell-based” biosensor, then,would utilize a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell or cell line as the sensing agent (Figure 5.1). Single phenotype biosensors use one type prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell line as the sensing elements, which are contrasted to single-cell biosensors that may use, as the name implies, one cell as the sensing element. Though many methods have measured chemical toxins have utilized chemical, nucleic acid, and antibody approaches [1], sensing technology as a whole would be improved through the introduction of whole cell based biosensors. Whole cell-biosensors have several inherent advantages over DNA, RNA, and protein arrays. Foremost, a whole cell biosensor can offer functional information, i.e., information about the effect of a stimulus on a living system [2]. Functional information includes the effects of stimuli on cell health (toxicity) as well as cell function. Secondly, the use of cell-based biosensors eliminates the need for costly purification steps, such as the isolation and retrieval of RNA and DNA. A cell based biosensor also provides natural signal amplification of a response through cellular pathways and cellular cascades [3].