Researchers at the Research Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CIN2) in Catalonia have patented a biosensor, similar to one of the glucose meters used by diabetics, who can identify and measure the amount of cancer cells that exist in a biological sample.
The system, says Alfredo de la Escosura, one of the coatures work published by the journal Analytical Chemistry, builds on that cancer cells produce specific proteins. “There are already many identified,” said De la Escosura. This character is one that allows detection. And here’s the key to the system.
If it is a set of cells with cancer antibodies of these proteins, the first will join the latter, as does a key with a lock. But in this case have not been made standard keys. In them they have been integrated by a mechanism bioabsorption gold nanoparticles. It is not an ornament. These metal atoms are the key to the functioning of the device.
Because the process remains one last step: if the complex is added an acid, produced a series of chemical reactions that can be measured at the electrode. And his intensity produces an electrical current that can be easily converted into a number, so that we know not only that there has been reaction, but how much has been. O, which is the same, not only checked for cancer, but also can calculate the concentration of tumor cells.
