Method and system for sensing

Abstract

Systems and methods for sensing target molecules such as redox reactive agents, comprising a sample compartment and a sensing compartment being in fluid communication, are disclosed. A sensing compartment which comprises nanostructures to which a functional moiety is covalently attached and which is such that upon contacting a redox reactive agent a change in electrical property of the nanostructure occurs, and integration of such a sensing compartment with sensing systems as described herein are also disclosed. Methods of monitoring a metabolic activity of cells, and uses thereof, are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of determining a presence and/or amount of a redox reactive agent and/or of a substance producing a redox reactive agent in at least one fluid sample, the method comprising introducing the at least one sample to a sensing system comprising at least one chamber being in controllable fluid communication with a sensing compartment, said at least one chamber being configured to contain a fluid and said sensing compartment comprising a semiconductor nanostructure and a functional moiety covalently attached to said nanostructure, said functional moiety being a redox reactive moiety and is such that upon contacting a redox reactive agent, said nanostructure exhibits a detectable change in an electrical property, wherein said detectable change in said electrical property is indicative of the presence and/or amount of the substance in each of said at least one sample. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , being for determining a presence and/or amount of a substance producing a redox reactive agent, the method further comprising subjecting at least one fluid sample to a reaction condition under which said substance produces said redox reactive agent. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said subjecting comprises fluidly communicating said chamber with a chamber which provides said condition. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said subjecting comprises fluidly communicating a chamber which provides said condition with said sensing compartment. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said condition comprises an enzymatic reaction that catalyzes a production of said redox reactive agent by said substance. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , being for determining a presence and/or amount of a redox reactive agent, the method further comprising subjecting at least one fluid sample to a reaction condition under which said redox reactive agent is generated or produced. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said subjecting comprises fluidly communicating said chamber with a chamber which provides said condition. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said subjecting comprises fluidly communicating a chamber which provides said condition with said sensing compartment. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said semiconductor nanostructure comprises silicon. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said functional moiety comprises at least one functional group capable of reversible change in an oxidation number of at least one of its atoms. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said redox reactive agent is an oxidizing agent. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said oxidizing agent is a peroxide. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one fluid sample comprises a cell, the method being for determining a presence and/or an amount of said substance producing said redox reactive agent in said cell. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said substance is a metabolite. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein at least one fluid sample comprises a cell, the method being for determining or monitoring metabolic activity of said cell. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least one fluid sample which comprises said cell further comprises a therapeutic agent, the method being for determining or monitoring activity of said cell upon contacting said therapeutic agent. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , being for determining an efficacy of said therapeutic agent towards said cell. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said substance is a metabolite, the method being for identifying an agent capable of altering a metabolic activity of the cell. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fluid sample is a biological sample of a subject. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , being for diagnosing a disease associated with a modified metabolic activity in said subject. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , being for monitoring a treatment of a disease associated with a modified metabolic activity in said subject. 
     
     
         22 . A system comprising at least one chamber being in controllable fluid communication with a sensing compartment, said at least one chamber being configured to contain a fluid and said sensing compartment comprising a semiconductor nanostructure and a functional moiety covalently attached to said nanostructure, said functional moiety being a redox reactive moiety and is such that upon contacting a redox reactive agent, said nanostructure exhibits a detectable change in an electrical property. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein said functional moiety comprises at least one functional group capable of reversible change in an oxidation number of at least one of its atoms. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein said semiconductor nanostructure comprises silicon. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , comprising at least two chambers, each being configured to contain a fluid and being in fluid communication with said sensing compartment. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein said at least two chambers are in fluid communication therebetween. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein at least one of said chambers is configured to hold a fluid sample to be analyzed and at least one of said chambers is configured to hold a fluid selected to provide a condition under which a redox reactive agent is generated.