Solid-State Nanopore-Based Cell Analysis

Real-time, accurate monitoring of cells and intracellular molecules is crucial for a deeper understanding of biological processes and disease diagnosis. Nanopore sensing technology has been widely applied in the field of cell analysis in recent years due to its advantages of being label-free, real-time response, and simple operation. Compared with biological nanopores, solid-state nanopores exhibit unique potential in cell analysis due to their excellent mechanical stability, tunable pore dimensions, and facile functionalization. This Account focuses on the latest progress of solid-state nanopores in cell analysis. Three main types─single nanopore, nanopipette, and nanopore array─are categorized and discussed. Under each type, representative method design, working principle, technical characteristics, and specific application in cell analysis are detailed. On the basis of existing achievements, we also discuss the key challenges of translating this technology into practical applications and outline future development opportunities.