Detection of antisperm antibody in human serum using a piezoelectric immunosensor based on mixed self-assembled monolayers

A novel piezoelectric immunosensor based on mixed self-assembled monolayers (mixed SAMs) formed by short-chain-amine- and carboxyl-terminated thiols has been developed to immobilize antigens onto gold electrodes for detecting antisperm antibody (AsAb) in human serum samples. The properties and the enhanced performance of the affinity biosensor interface based on mixed SAMs are investigated. Most importantly, analytical results of several human serum samples using the developed technique are in satisfactory agreement with those given by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method in the concentration ranging from 32.3 to 300.0 mU/ml. It means the procedure proposed in this paper is likely to have a great potential in research and may play an important clinical role in a few years later. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.