Enzymes also form the basis of many diagnostic tests used in clinical medicine. For example, glucose oxidase, an enzyme used in blood glucose analysis, is obtained commercially from Aspergillus niger.
Enzymes also form the basis
of many diagnostic tests used in clinical medicine. For example, glucose
oxidase, an enzyme used in blood
glucose analysis, is obtained commercially from Aspergillus
niger. Although the design of glucose
blood monitoring test strips has become more refined,
the basic design remains the same. Glucose
oxidase is sandwiched between polycarbonate and cellulose acetate membranes.
When a pinprick volume of blood
is applied, the
polycarbonate membrane allows the diffusion of glucose into the sandwich
but limits entry
of larger molecules thus reducing background
contaminants. The enzyme oxidizes the glucose, resulting in the formation of hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide
diffuses through the cellulose membrane where it is measured amperometrically following interaction with a platinum
electrode. More recently, several
types of implantable glucose oxidase electrodes have been developed experimentally for continuous monitoring of blood glucose
levels in diabetics. While there
are challenges relating
to enzyme inactivation in vivo,
glucose calibration, and immune response there
are, nevertheless, a number of major research efforts
in this area and indeed
the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has recently approved a wireless subcutaneous sensor that continuously monitors
patient glucose levels
for 7 days. It is likely
that biosensors employing immobilized enzymes
which are potentially useful for monitoring many substances of clinical importance will become readily
available in the not-too-distant future.
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