ABSTRACT
The advancement of microfabrication techniques has led to the development of miniaturized and fully integrated solid-phase analytical devices that allow one to perform studies of complex cellular processes, high-throughput screening, and parallel diagnostic detection. They imply a scaling down of the entire analytical process while maintaining high sensitivity. Considering their tiny dimensions, the surface properties of the microdevices must be carefully tailored to maximize probe immobilization and target binding efciency and to reduce background noise. Polymeric coatings for modifying/functionalizing substrates are one of the most effective ways for tailoring surface characteristics and conferring the properties described above. Here, we present a nonexhaustive review of the state-of-art surface derivatization methods for biosensing applications by polymeric coatings focusing on applications of such coatings in microarray technology, microuidics, DNA sequence characterization, and nanoparticles.
