Morphological and binding properties of interleukin-6 on thin ZnO films grown on (100) silicon substrates for biosensor applications.Biosens Bioelectron. 2006 Dec 15; 22(5):707-14.BB
To develop effective protein immobilization technology with minimal amounts of protein for high sensitivity surface acoustic wave biosensors, we determined the binding properties, and morphological characteristics of human interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, on the surface of ZnO, and SiO(2) films grown onto (100) Si substrates, for the first time. Interleukin-6 was immobilized in the range of 0.276-10 pg/ml on the surface of ZnO and SiO(2), and visualized at each stage, while protein-protein interactions were measured with the antigen/antibody immunoassay of solid-phase ELISA, which we modified for these types of substrates. A relative mass value was determined in each case. ELISA detected upward of 1 and 6 ng/ml of protein applied on ZnO and SiO(2), respectively. It is concluded that the more reactive ZnO surface is a new and more effective template for protein immobilization.