Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 18, 2026

Fabrication of a Solution-gated Indium-Tin-Oxide-based One-piece Transistor Enabling Sensitive Biosensing
Published on: August 29, 2025
The ion channel switch biosensor
G Woodhouse1, L King, L Wieczorek
1Cooperative Research Centre for Molecular Engineering and Technology, Australian Membrane and Biotechnology Research Institute, 126 Greville Street, Chatswood, NSW 2067, Australia.
Abstract:
A biosensor technology is described which provides a direct measurement for functional molecular interactions, at the surface of a tethered bilayer membrane, through the electrical transduction of chemically modified ion-channels. High sensitivity of analyte detection is achieved due to the large flux of ions transmitted through the ion channel. The biomimetic sensor surface allows the molecular recognition to be measured in complex biological matrices (such as blood and sera) without compromising sensitivity. We have used the sensor for activity and concentration measurements for a range of analytes, which include bacteria, DNA, proteins and drugs. We have a quantitative model for the biosensor performance which is described by three-dimensional molecular interactions with the membrane surface and two-dimensional molecular interactions within the tethered bilayer.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Ion Channels
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow specific...
Mechanically-gated Ion Channels
Microbial Biosensors
Voltage-gated Ion Channels
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several types of...
Non-gated Ion Channels
Compared to the gated ion channels, the non-gated channels, also known as leakage or passive channels, have no gating mechanism.
Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that include the...

