Touchpad-based immunochromatographic strip for detecting the skin surface proteins

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Immunotechnology
• Biosensor Development

Background:

• Non-invasive diagnostic methods are crucial for monitoring human skin health.
• Current methods for assessing skin surface proteins can be invasive or lack sensitivity.
• Developing accessible biosensors for real-time skin analysis is an ongoing challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the proof-of-concept for a novel touchpad-based immunosensor.
• To develop a non-invasive method for extracting and detecting skin surface proteins.
• To assess the potential of this biosensor for diagnosing human skin integrity.

Main Methods:

• A touchpad-based immunochromatographic strip was designed using a nitrocellulose membrane with anti-human IgG capture antibodies.
• A glass fiber membrane impregnated with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) facilitated protein extraction without direct skin contact.
• Skin surface IgG detection involved sequential steps of skin contact and visualization with Au-nanoparticle-labeled secondary antibodies.

Main Results:

• The novel immunosensor successfully extracted and detected skin surface proteins non-invasively.
• Qualitative demonstration confirmed protein detection using a minimal amount of PBS and contact with the skin.
• The method proved effective even with a relatively low-sensitivity immunochromatographic chip.

Conclusions:

• A novel touchpad immunosensor offers a viable approach for non-invasive skin surface protein detection.
• This biosensor technology shows promise for the diagnosis of human skin integrity.
• The developed immunosensor represents a significant advancement in non-invasive biosensing applications.