Detecting C-peptide using biosensors for diagnosis and monitoring of disease

Abstract

The connecting peptide (C-peptide) is a short polypeptide that connects the A-chain to the B-chain in the proinsulin molecule. This biomarker is secreted into the blood circulation in the same amount as insulin and has a longer half-life than it. Measuring blood serum levels of C-peptide can be used to distinguish between different diabetes types. Also, the amount of C-peptide in body fluids as an indicator has been used to evaluate pancreatic beta‐cell function. However, a reliable and fast method is essential to quantify the amount of C-peptide in biological fluids and its significance in the control and diagnosis of disease. Over the years, several studies have used biosensors to detect C-peptide levels in real samples. These studies focused on speeding up detection and creating novel detection techniques. Biosensor-based methods can potentially improve the diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes. This review aims to provide a general overview of the various C-peptide biosensors in relation to their detection limit and potential point-of-care uses.