Recent advances in ion-channel probes for nanopore sensing: Insights into the probe architectures

This review introduces the recent advances in the nanopore sensing platform, ion channel probes (ICPs), with a particular focus on the different probe design (2011-2022). The use of ion channel proteins has emerged in different applications to understand the dynamics of many biological processes and characterize or detect biomolecules. The development of utilizing protein channels in nanopore sensing has led to diverse platforms in which the ion channels, or biological nanopores, can be embedded in a lipid membrane. Ion channel probes, where the ion channels are integrated at the tip of a solid probe, enable higher spatially-resolved detection of small molecules and extend the applications of ion channels to map different surfaces and perform chemical imaging. Different probe materials and designs have been exploited throughout the last decade, which opens the door for multiple probe architecture and applications. We provide more insights into the advances of ICP designs that render them well-suited for further applications.