WHat the Technology is all about?

NANOSENSORS: Exploring the Sanctuary of Individual Living Cell: The combination of nanotechnology, biology, advanced materials and photonics opens the possibility of detecting and manipulating atoms and molecules using nano-devices, which have the potential for a wide variety of medical uses at the cellular level. We have recently reported the development of nano-biosensors and in situ intracellular measurements of single cells using antibody-based nanoprobes. The nano-scale size of this new class of sensors also allows for measurements in the smallest of environments. One such environment that has evoked a great deal of interest is that of individual cells. Using these nanosensors, it is possible to probe individual chemical species and molecular signalling processes in specific locations within a cell. We have shown that insertion of a nano-biosensor into a mammalian somatic cell not only appears to have no effect on the cell membrane, but also does not effect the cell's normal function. The possibilities to monitor in vivo processes within living cells could dramatically improve our understanding of cellular function, thereby revolutionizing cell biology.