| Resumo: | The integration of nanotechnology into bioassays is having a great impact with the development of new nanostructures, nanodevices, nanomaterials or, in general, nanoparticles (NPs), such as nanoshells, nanowires, nanotubes and nanobarcodes, of a variety of shapes, sizes and composition [1-4]. These NPs, which exhibit new properties that are not shown by the bulk matter, are being considered as an alternative to conventional reagents, such as enzymes or organic molecules, often used in bioassays. The main reasons of this success can be ascribed to their ability to improve the features of these assays, allowing their miniaturization and expeditiousness, reducing reagent and sample consumption, and facilitating the performance of heterogeneous formats. NPs present a larger surface area for the display of receptors than flat surfaces and the reactions are faster and more sensitive.
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