PIEZOELECTRIC BIOSENSORS: BACKGROUND
Two classes of bio-recognition processes-bio-affinity recognition-and bio-metabolic recognition, offer different methods of detection. Both processes involve the binding of a chemical species with another, which has a complementary structure. This is referred to as shape-specific binding. In bio-affinity recognition, the binding is very strong, and the transducer detects the presence of the bound receptor-analyte pair. The most common types of processes are receptor-ligand and antibody-antigen binding. In bio-metabolic recognition, the analyte and other co-reactants are chemically altered to form the product molecules. The biomaterials that can be recognized by the bio-recognition elements are as varied as the different reactions that occur in biological systems. Table I lists a number of common analytes that could prove attractive for developing biosensors of appropriate specificity and sensitivity. Almost all types of biological reactions, (chemical or affinity), can be exploited for biosensors. The concept of shape-specific recognition is commonly used to explain the high sensitivity and selectivity of biological molecules, especially antigen-antibody systems. The analyte molecule has a complementary structure to the antibody, and the bound pair is in a lower energy state than the two separate molecules. This binding is very difficult to break. Table II summarizes a variety of biosystem-transducer combinations in terms of transducer, measurement mode and potential application.