Long-term implantable NO monitoring nanosensor

(MIT, November 03, 2013)

Nitric oxide (NO) is one of the most important signaling molecules in living cells, carrying messages within the brain and coordinating immune system functions. In many cancerous cells, levels are perturbed, but very little is known about how NO behaves in both healthy and cancerous cells. To improve that, researchers at MIT have built a sensor that can monitor NO in living animals for more than a year. The sensor made of carbon nanotubes can be implanted under the skin and used to monitor inflammation — a process that produces NO. This is the first demonstration that nanosensors could be used within the body for this extended period of time. In the future, such sensors could also be adapted to detect other molecules, including glucose.