METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS BY MEASURING CHANGES IN THE ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF IMMOBILIZED CELLS OR CELL COMPONENTS (BIOELECTRIC RECOGNITION ASSAY)

摘要

The present invention relates to a method for the qualitative and/or quantitative determination of biological and chemical compounds, including microorganisms (such as viruses), on the basis of the specific and selective interaction of those compounds with appropriately immobilized cells or subcellular components with an organized structure and the measurement of the change in the electric potential or other electric properties that is caused by the aforementioned interaction.The method is based on a biosensor comprising the cellular sensory material immobilized in a matrix or on a substrate of appropriate material and in such a way that the viability of the sensory meterial and its specific mode of interaction with the molecules(s) under determination is preserved. The biosensor (1) also comprises electrodes made of conductible material in order to measure the electric potential variation during the application of the sample (2) containing the molecules under determination in liquid or gas phase. When the assayed property is the electric potential, the electrode (3) in the area of sample application is the measuring electrode while the electrode (4) in the opposite position is the reference electrode (the second pole). When the electromotive force of the sensor is assayed, both electrodes are inserted into the matrix. The electrodes are connected with any device appropriate for measuring the electric potential or other electric property. Therefore, the determination of a chemical or biological compound is possible provided that the pattern of a certain electrical property of the biosensor in response to various concentration of this compound is known, relative to other compounds of similar structure or function.