A Novel Nitric Oxide Cellular Biosensor Based on Red Blood Cells Immobilized on Gold Nanoparticles

Abstract

We have developed a novel nitric oxide (NO) cellular biosensor based upon the immobilization of red blood cells (RBCs) onto nanometer‐size colloidal gold that is attached to an electrochemically pretreated glassy carbon electrode via the bridging of an ethylenediamine monolayer. The biosensor has been characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemistry. The immobilized RBCs display an excellent electrocatalytic response to nitric oxide. The electrocatalytic currents are proportional to the NO concentration in the range from 1.0×10^–8 to 1.0×10^–6 M and the detection limit is as low as 5.0×10^–9 M (S/N=3). Furthermore, the biosensor is very stable and relatively free of potential interference.

Keywords:

• Red blood cells (RBCs
• erythrocytes)
• nitric oxide (NO)
• gold colloid
• glassy carbon electrode
• cellular biosensors

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30070214), the Fund of the Education Ministry of China (01087), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2002032186), the Social Development Item of Jiangsu Province (BS2005030), and the Jiangsu Province Education Commission Natural Science Foundation (03KJB150107, JH03‐041, 02KJDI5004, S30016).