[Research progress in hydrogel-based sensing technologies for disease-associated small molecules]

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Hydrogels possess unique biocompatibility, tunable structures, and soft matter properties.
• Small molecules are crucial biomarkers for disease onset and progression.
• Current diagnostic methods require improvement in sensitivity and specificity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review hydrogel-based sensing technologies for disease-associated small molecules.
• To highlight the advantages of hydrogels in enhancing sensor performance.
• To discuss the current status and future prospects of hydrogel-based diagnostics.

Main Methods:

• Leveraging hydrogel properties like exclusion, matrix, and confinement effects.
• Utilizing stimulus-responsive and conductive hydrogel mechanisms.
• Integrating sensing approaches such as electrochemistry, immunoassays, and fluorescence sensing.

Main Results:

• Hydrogels significantly improve selectivity, sensitivity, and rapidity of small molecule detection.
• Diverse hydrogel types and binding mechanisms enable versatile sensing applications.
• Substantial progress has been made in developing hydrogel-based small molecule sensors.

Conclusions:

• Hydrogel-based sensing offers a promising platform for personalized disease prediction and diagnosis.
• These technologies can lead to more efficient point-of-care and home-based diagnostic tools.
• Further research into hydrogel structures and sensing mechanisms will advance disease diagnostics.