Nanofluidic electrochemical sensors for clinical biomarkers detection.

[Display omitted] • Early diagnoses of diseases require us to detection tiny biomarkers. • Nanofluidic devices magnify signal of tiny biomarkers. • Nanofluidic devices hold a promise for in portable sensors and POC detection. Disease diagnosis, especially for early diagnosis, is the most effective method to prevent disease development and mortality. However, low abundance clinical biomarkers in samples pose a challenge to sensitivity and selectivity of early diagnosis. Nanoconfined environment provides unique effects, including ionic current rectification, steric effect, and selective transport, etc., which could be applied to magnify signal and enhance sensitivity in discrimination of biomarkers on electrochemical (EC) sensors. Therefore, nanofluidic EC sensors have experienced a speedy development in ultra-sensitive sensing. In this review, we highlight the application of nanofluidic EC sensors with different structures (nanocapillary, nanoporous membrane, nanopore, and micro/nanofluidic chip) in biomarkers detection. Different types of nanofluidic devices, mechanism of nanoconfined effect, and their applications in ultra-sensitive sensing are summarized and discussed. Finally, this review provides a respective about nanofluidic EC sensors in biomarkers detection and helps the understanding nanoconfined effect for developing new analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]