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Updated: Jan 29, 2026

Label-free Single Molecule Detection Using Microtoroid Optical Resonators
Published on: December 29, 2015
Rapid Drop-Test for Lectin Binding with Glycopolymer-Coated Optical Ring Resonators
Christine Schulte-Osseili1, Moritz Kleinert2, Norbert Keil3
1Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP, Geiselbergstr. 69, 14476 Potsdam, Germany. christine.schulte-osseili@iap.fraunhofer.de.
Abstract:
We fabricated a simple sensor system for qualitative analysis of glycan-mediated interactions. Our main aim was to establish a ronbbust system that allowes drop-tests without complex fluidics. The test system should be usable in routine analytics in the future and bear sufficient sensitivity to detect binding events in the nanomolar range. For this, we employed optical ring resonators and coated them with high avidity glycopolymers based on N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). These hydrophilic polymers are also very feasible in preventing unspecific protein adsorption. Drop-on binding studies with suitable lectins showed that glycopolymers were specifically recognized by a lectin with GlcNAc-specificity and prevented unspecific protein interactions very well. The system could be elaborated in the future for detection of glycan-mediated interactions in the biomedical field and is promising in means of multiplexed analysis and usage in routine analysis.
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