A galactose-specific affinity hollow fiber sensor based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer

The quantitative detection of galactose or galactose-containing saccharides is of great importance in the food industry and in medical monitoring and treatment, as much as in ascertaining the basis of disease processes. For example, it was reported that disturbed galactose metabolism is connected with cataract formation in humans (1 ). Optical biosensors for galactose can have an impact on the medical practice. One approach was reported recently by Ballerstadt et al. (2 ), who described the potential use of a galactose-sensitive probe as a guidance system for the location and assessment of liver function in critically ill patients. The latter and several other prototypes of fiberoptic sensors (3 , 4 ) that have been developed for sugar sensing, e.g., glucose, are based on the use of lectins, a group of antibody-like, sugar-specific proteins. The use of enzymes for a fiberoptic biosensor has also been reported (5 ). In this chapter, we concentrate on the description of an optical method for the measurement of sugars based on the use of lectins as the affinity agent.