Taking Electrons out of Bioelectronics: From Bioprotonic Transistors to Ion Channels

From cell-to-cell communication to metabolic reactions, ions and protons (H⁺) play a central role in many biological processes. Examples of H⁺ in action include oxidative phosphorylation, acid sensitive ion channels, and pH dependent enzymatic reactions. To monitor and control biological reactions in biology and medicine, it is desirable to have electronic devices with ionic and protonic currents. Here, we summarize our latest efforts on bioprotonic devices that monitor and control a current of H⁺ in physiological conditions, and discuss future potential applications. Specifically, we describe the integration of these devices with enzymatic logic gates, bioluminescent reactions, and ion channels.