Progress in nanoparticle-based electrochemical biosensors for hormone detection

Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate a wide range of physiological processes including metabolism, development, growth, reproduction and mood. The concentration of hormones that orchestrate the numerous bodily functions is very low (1 nM or less). Efforts have been made to develop highly sensitive tools to detect them. This review represents a critical comparison between different types of nanoparticle-based electrochemical biosensors for the detection of various hormones, namely cortisol, sex hormones (estradiol, progesterone, testosterone), insulin, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and growth hormone (GH). The electrochemical biosensors investigated for each hormone are first divided on the basis of the biological fluid tested for their detection, and successively on the basis of the electrochemical transducer utilized in the device (voltammetric or impedimetric). Focus is placed on the nanoparticles employed and the successive electrode modification developed in order to improve detection sensitivity and specificity and biosensor stability. Limit of detection (LOD), linear range, reproducibility and possibility of regeneration for continuous reuse are also investigated and compared. The review also addresses the recent trends in the development of wearable biosensors and point-of-care testing for hormone detection in clinical diagnostics useful for endocrinology research, and the future perspectives regarding the integration of nanomaterials, microfluidics, near field communication (NFC) technology and portable devices.