Nanopipettes for Chemical Analysis in Life Sciences

Nanopipette-based assays have gained widespread applications in electrochemical and analytical technologies, achieving significant advancements over the past decade in DNA sequencing, biosensing, targeted delivery, and bioimaging. The ultrasmall tip size of nanopipettes bridges the gap between the macro- and nano worlds, which can be attributed to the capability of nanopipettes to transport ultrasmall volumes of liquids, ions, and solutes. In this review, we discuss the fabrication, characterization, and modification of nanopipettes to provide an overview of the recent developments of nanopipette-based sensors and strategies. We also introduce the recent studies developed by our group and other groups using nanopipettes for chemical analysis of life science. Finally, we discuss the future development of nanopipette-based strategies and their exciting potential for studying bioscience and biomedical engineering.