Aptamer-based electrochemical biosensors: Signal transduction mechanisms, application progress, and future trends

Abstract

• Aptamer - based electrochemical biosensors have high sensitivity, selectivity, and stability. They are cost - effective, suitable for mass production, and do not need complex equipment, which is ideal for on - site monitoring. • With the advancements in nanotechnology, electrochemical methods and materials science, these biosensors show great potential in efficiently detecting disease biomarkers, viruses, bacteria and other pathogenic microorganisms, especially for early diagnosis and rapid. • The review systematically sums up signal transduction mechanisms and application progress. It showcases research results in various fields and anticipates development trends in multiple areas (chemistry, materials science, medicine, environmental monitoring), providing new ideas and methods for expanding aptamer applications across domains. Aptamer-based electrochemical biosensors synergistically integrate the high molecular recognition specificity of nucleic acid aptamers with the rapid and sensitive signal transduction capabilities of electrochemical interfaces, thereby offering a highly promising platform for advanced bioanalytical applications. Recent advances in nanomaterials, micro/nanofabrication technologies, and signal amplification strategies have markedly improved the analytical performance of these biosensors, enabling ultra-sensitive and highly selective detection of a diverse array of analytes, including disease biomarkers, viral particles, and bacterial pathogens. These biosensors are characterized by low cost, facile miniaturization, and compatibility with point-of-care and on-site diagnostic formats, rendering them attractive for real-world applications. Nevertheless, several critical challenges persist, including maintaining sensor stability under complex biological or environmental sample conditions, achieving reliable multiplexed detection, and establishing standardized fabrication protocols for clinical and environmental deployment. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent progress in electrochemical transduction mechanisms and their applications, as depicted in Figure 1, and highlights state-of-the-art innovations at the intersection of chemistry, materials science, biomedical engineering, and environmental monitoring. Furthermore, emerging directions—such as artificial intelligence-assisted data interpretation, wearable biosensing systems, and Internet of Things (IoT)-integrated platforms—are discussed to outline future perspectives toward next-generation intelligent and adaptive biosensing technologies. Sch. Electrochemical biosensor signal transduction mechanism and application summary diagram.

Topics & Concepts