title: Determinants of the detection limit and specificity of surface-based biosensors.
abstract: Here, we employ a model electrochemical DNA sensor to demonstrate that the detection limit and specificity of surface-based sensors often are not dependent on the true affinity of the probe for its target but are simply dependent on the effective probe concentration. Under these circumstances, the observed affinity (and thus the sensor's detection limit and specificity) will depend on the density with which the probes are packed on the surface of the sensor, the surface area, and even the volume of sample employed.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Analítica, Facultad de CC. Químicas Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Berta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Esteban Fernández de Ávila
authors.forename: Herschel M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pingarrón
authors.forename: Kevin W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Plaxco
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palleschi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ricci
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D057230:Limit of Detection; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards