Presently, immobilized proteins/enzymes are
used routinely in the medical field, such as in the
diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. For
example, immobilized antibodies, receptors, or
enzymes are used in biosensors and ELISA for the
detection of various bioactive substances in the
diagnosis of disease states; encapsulated enzymes
are also used in bioreactors for the removal of
waste metabolites and correction of inborn metabolic deficiency. Moreover, the use of artificial
cells as well as the development of controlled-release drug delivery systems to release encapsulated enzymes or proteins may also be considered
a form of immobilized enzyme use. However, this
article will concentrate only on the review of current applications of traditionally defined immobilized enzymes in medicine; specifically in the areas of biosensors and bioreactors.