Biofunctional hybrid structures - Cell-silicon hybrids for applications in biomedicine and bioinformatics

Cell-silicon hybrids represent miniaturized analytical systems which are qualified by means of the cellular signal processing network to identify biomolecules and biophysical signals in a highly specific and quantitative manner. Such biofunctional hybrid structures are also appropriate tools for a number of experimental approaches where specific reaction patterns and signal transducing processes of living cells are tested in response to defined environmental stimuli. The paper describes how cellular systems can function as multi-potent signal discriminators and interfaces to a variety of physical detection arrays. The analysis is based on recent results regarding the understanding of the intracellular signal transduction network. Our systems analytical approach gives an idea how the biological component of a cellular biosensor works and facilitates the directed design of new families of biofunctional hybrid structures. After a brief review of the construction lines of cell-silicon hybrids, novel improvements of their design and their applicability in tumor biology will be discussed. Copyright (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.