A quartz crystal as an immunosensor

Due to their specificity, immune reactions are suitable for the detection of certain chemical or biochemical substances. Since the formation of an antigen-antibody complex is associated with a relatively high mass change, this characteristic in combination with a mass-sensitive transducer can be utilized for the set-up of an extremely specific biosensor. A possible application for those biosensors is immune diagnostics for viral diseases. This sensor provides a simple method for determining virus infections and for control of the course of an immune response. The authors present a novel method to detect antibodies to HIV, thus confirming the infection with the virus (HIV). They also describe biochemical and physical properties of the sensor.<>