NEURONAL BIOSENSORS - A PROGRESS REPORT

A review of the progress of research in the development of intact chemoreceptor-based biosensors is presented. These sensors utilize the chemosensing ability of the antennules of various decapod crustacea to sensitively and selectively detect chemical stimulants. Suction microelectrodes attached to the antennular nerve fibers are used to detect action potential firing upon binding of the stimulant to the receptor, allowing quantitation of the analyte. Recent developments in the use of different species and in improvements in experimental setup, data handling procedures, and sensor lifetimes are reported.