Page 352 - Organic Electronics in Sensors and Biotechnology

CHAPTER 9

Luminescent

Conjugated Polymers

for Staining and

Characterization of

Amyloid Deposits

K. P. R. Nilsson
Department of Chemistry, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden

9.1 Introduction
The evolution of living organisms has led to development of excellent
biosensors, and when developing new sensory technologies, one should
look to nature for the most favorable solution. The amazing sensory
performance of biological systems is derived from a collective system
response mostly involving analyte-triggered biochemical cascades. In
addition, molecules with alternating single and double carbon bonds,
i.e., conjugated molecules, having specific optical properties are fre-
quently utilized in biological systems. The fascinating light harvesting
complex taking part in the photosynthesis in green plants and the con-
formational transition of the retinal molecule, which is covalently
attached to the protein rhodopsin in the retina of the eye, are examples
of how nature makes use of conjugated molecules. Likewise, optical
biosensors utilizing luminescent conjugated polymers (LCPs) are tak-
ing advantage of similar phenomena. The detection schemes of these
sensors are mainly employing the efficient light harvesting properties

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