Bioinspired Colorimetric Detection of Calcium(II) Ions in Serum Using Calsequestrin-Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles

摘要

The calcium(II) ion is the most abundant cation in the body, and participates in various biological activities such as skeletal mineralization, blood coagulation, neurotransmission, excitation of skeletal and cardiac muscle, and stimulus-mediated hormone secretion. Blood calcium levels range from 2.1 nM to 2.6 mM in healthy humans; this level is strictly maintained and varies by 3 at most. Severe fluctuations in calcium levels are associated with many diseases. For instance, the common causes of hypercalcemia are primary hyperparathyroidism, malignant tumors, and hyperthyroidism. Therefore, the accurate and fast estimation of blood calcium levels is of great importance.