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How can you quickly detect deadly diseases in your body using only saliva or blood?
With the advancement of technology, the medical field continues to develop in the early diagnosis of diseases. New microRNA (miRNA) biosensor technology is becoming an important tool for detecting deadly diseases. These biosensors provide a new method for early detection of diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease by detecting the presence and concentration of miRNA in the body. Compared with traditional detection methods, miRNA biosensors exhibit shorter read times, improved sensitivity and specificity, and lower production costs.
The role of microRNAs in regulating cellular processes cannot be underestimated, and research has shown that they are important in disease development.
The role and necessity of miRNA
MicroRNA (miRNA) is a small non-coding RNA composed of 18 to 25 nucleotides. It is involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of genes and is abundantly present in biological fluids such as saliva, urine and blood. miRNAs are highly associated with various diseases (such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases), have tumor promoting or suppressing roles, and are regarded as promising biomarkers for disease diagnosis and prognosis.
Measuring these small molecules not only facilitates early detection but also helps doctors develop personalized treatment plans.
History of miRNA detection technology
The exploration of miRNA began in 1993, when Victor Ambros discovered the first miRNA (lin-4) in the worm Caenorhabditis elegans. Subsequently, although traditional Northern blotting and RT-PCR methods are highly sensitive, they have limitations in detection accuracy and operating procedures. Nowadays, high-throughput technologies such as microarrays and next-generation sequencing (NGS) have emerged, providing higher sensitivity and specificity, as well as the ability to detect multiple miRNAs simultaneously.
Principle of miRNA biosensor
The basic components of a miRNA biosensor include biorecognition elements, transducers and signal processors. Among them, the biorecognition element facilitates the detection of specific miRNA, while the transducer converts the recognized changes into measurable signals. The signal processor further amplifies and processes these signals and converts them into numerical results.
Detection specificity and sensitivity are key factors for the success of miRNA biosensors, however designing efficient sensors remains a challenge.
Types of miRNA biosensors
Electrochemical biosensor
Electrochemical biosensors detect miRNA by measuring signal changes in electrode properties or electroactive compounds. These sensors are suitable for a variety of applications such as environmental, clinical and food analysis. They offer the advantages of low cost, ease of operation, and enable real-time analysis.
Optical biosensor
Different from electrochemical methods, optical biosensors rely on the combination of labeled nucleic acid probes and optically active reporter molecules to transduce signals, which makes them superior in measuring small samples.
Mechanical electrical biosensor
This type of sensor integrates electricity and mechanics and measures changes in mass or pressure based on the hybridization reaction of miRNA. They are highly sensitive, but can be more challenging to measure in multi-molecule samples.
Application fields
miRNA biosensors have broad application potential in diagnosis and prognosis. Because miRNAs exhibit specificity in disease processes, they have become important biomarkers for early diagnosis, disease monitoring, and treatment efficacy evaluation.
Not only cancer, cardiovascular diseases and autoimmune diseases are also affected by them. By analyzing miRNA in saliva or blood samples, doctors can more easily track the condition and adjust treatment plans in a timely manner.
As for personalized medicine, the detection of miRNA can provide a deep understanding of each patient's disease risk and treatment response, which once again shows the importance of miRNA detection.
In the context of the increasing progress of biosensor technology, we can't help but think about what new possibilities and challenges such technological development will bring to our health management?
