Issue 16, 2020

Controlled/“living” radical polymerization-based signal amplification strategies for biosensing

Abstract

Controlled/“living” radical polymerization (CLRP) techniques, such as atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, and their variants, have now emerged as a novel class of signal amplification strategies and they have attracted growing attention in biosensing of clinically relevant biomolecules. Through the CLRP-mediated de novo formation of polymer chains, a large amount of signaling probes (e.g., ferrocene) or functional groups (e.g., –NH2, –CHO, and –COOH) that are available for the subsequent introduction of signaling probes can be recruited in the sensing interfaces, outputting a high signal even in the presence of a low abundance of target analytes, thereby greatly improving the detection sensitivity. Compared with conventional strategies based on the use of either catalytic labels (e.g., natural enzymes, biomimetic catalysts, and electrocatalysts) or complex nanomaterials (e.g., surface-functionalized metal nanoparticles), CLRP-based signal amplification strategies have advantages of being low-cost, highly efficient, and relatively easy in operation. By virtue of these merits, CLRP-based signal amplification strategies show great promise for clinical applications and biomedical research studies. In this review, the advantages and disadvantages of various signal amplification strategies have been summarized. Following a brief introduction of the mechanisms of various CLRP techniques, a comprehensive overview of the applications of CLRP-based signal amplification strategies in biosensing of clinically relevant biomolecules such as nucleic acids, enzymes, and antigens is presented. Also discussed herein are the advantages and disadvantages of CLRP-based signal amplification strategies, which are believed to be instructive for their broad application in biosensing.

Graphical abstract: Controlled/“living” radical polymerization-based signal amplification strategies for biosensing

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
31 Nhl 2019
Accepted
27 Huk 2019
First published
06 N’w 2019

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2020,8, 3327-3340

Controlled/“living” radical polymerization-based signal amplification strategies for biosensing

Q. Hu, S. Gan, Y. Bao, Y. Zhang, D. Han and L. Niu, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2020, 8, 3327 DOI: 10.1039/C9TB02419K

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements