Biosensors: A novel approach to and recent discovery in detection of cytokines

Abstract

Cytokines in tissues and physiological fluids can function as potentially suitable biomarkers. Cytokines are involved in stimulating different body responses including inflammatory response to external pathogens, regulating cell-to-cell communication, and maintaining tissue homeostasis. Consequently, cytokines are extensively used to monitor and predict disease progression and to track the outcome of patient treatment. The critical diagnosis of cytokine and chemokine biomarkers has been the focus of attention and it has been continuously directing the trajectory of related research to developing a novel sensing platform. Given the major challenges and constraints of the older identification methods including their high costs, low sensitivity, and high specificity, the development of biosensor technology as a simple and inexpensive tool with high sensitivity is quite attractive and interesting. The fundamental aim of this study is to present the state-of-the-art biosensor systems in order to detect different types of cytokines and to emphasize the role of these systems in the prevention, monitoring, and treatment of various cytokine-associated diseases.

Keywords: Bioassay; Cytokine; Medical diagnosis; Nanoparticles.