Scientists from Queen Mary’s School of Biological and Chemical Sciences have developed a sensor that can detect Zinc.
Zinc is a key component in treating a range of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Prostrate Cancer and type2 diabetes. It is found all over the body and in many metabolic pathways that influence the function of the brain, immune system and sexual development.
In this new study carried out by Dr. Stephen Goldup, Dr Caroline Brennan and Professor. Mike Watkinson, the focus was to develop a sensor for zinc that could be used in studies on Zebrafish. The research team developed a sensor, which would make the fish glow with fluorescence if zinc is present in its body.
According to Watkinson, the probe had the capacity to visualize zinc in different parts of the fish embryos such as the pancreas. They plan on developing this technology further, so that it could provide insights into the role of zinc in the development of diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes.
A technique called click chemistry was used by the team. This technique would produce substances rapidly and reliably by combining small units together. The sensor was especially sensitive to zinc and could identify zinc rather than other anions such as copper or iron.
This study was presented in Brighton’s Sixth International Symposium on Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry.