nanopores
Tiny membrane openings
Nanopores are tiny holes measured in nanometers—billionths of a meter—typically in a membrane or thin material.
In biotechnology, nanopores allow single molecules to pass through one at a time, enabling DNA sequencing by reading genetic material as it threads through the opening: nanopore sequencing has revolutionized portable genetic testing.
The technology mimics pores found in cell membranes.
Thin tissue sheet
- selectivityTendency to choose carefully
- permeabilityAbility to transmit fluids
- desalinationExtracting salt from seawater
- purificationRemoval of contaminants
sieve · water treatment · semipermeable · flux · separation · rejection rate · fouling · channel
Reading nucleotide base order
- nucleotidesDNA and RNA subunits
- translocationMovement to another place
- base pairsBonded DNA building blocks
- genome mappingIdentifying gene positions on chromosomes
Devices detecting via biological reactions
- analyteSubstance being measured
- detectionAct of finding something
- conductanceEase of current flow
- sensitivityResponsiveness to stimuli
Creating nanometer-scale structures
- grapheneMonolayer carbon hexagonal lattice
- solid-stateUsing semiconductors, not tubes
- drillingHole-making by rotation
- electron beamFocused stream of charged particles
synthetic · self-assembly · thin film · substrate · etching
membrane
Thin tissue sheet
- selectivityTendency to choose carefully
- permeabilityAbility to transmit fluids
- desalinationExtracting salt from seawater
purification · sieve · water treatment · semipermeable · flux · separation · rejection rate · fouling · channel
DNA sequencing
Reading nucleotide base order
- nucleotidesDNA and RNA subunits
- translocationMovement to another place
- base pairsBonded DNA building blocks
biosensors
Devices detecting via biological reactions
- analyteSubstance being measured
- detectionAct of finding something
- conductanceEase of current flow
sensitivity · biomarker · selectivity · sensor array · diagnostic
nanofabrication
Creating nanometer-scale structures
- grapheneMonolayer carbon hexagonal lattice
- solid-stateUsing semiconductors, not tubes
- drillingHole-making by rotation
electron beam · synthetic · self-assembly · thin film · substrate · etching
angstrom
Subatomic length unit