Table 2.

Summary of real biological samples tested with noble metal NP-based biosensors according to the type of NP and explored methodology principle.

Method	Type of NP	Target/Samples [reference]
Colorimetric/scanometric	Gold	SNP (rs2131877) in human DNA [32] Mutations in EGFR gene in genomic DNA [33] SNP associated with long QT syndrome in genomic DNA [31] SNPs in β-thalassemia gene in genomic DNA—mediated by PCR [43,45] SNPs in MBL2 gene in genomic DNA—mediated by PCR [53,54] Fusion genes in K562 cell line [55] Hepatitis C virus RNA [35] M. tuberculosis DNA and associated drug-resistance SNPs in clinical samples [46,48,50] BCR-ABL fusion transcript in clinical samples [47] FSY1 mRNA in total RNA [49]
	Gold	Melamine in whole milk [40] Prostate specific antigen (PSA) in human serum [63] CA15-3 breast cancer biomarker in human serum [64] Genetically modified organisms [52] Mutations associated to methicillin resistance in S. aureus & Factor V Leiden mutants [58]
	Gold/silver alloy	TP53 gene [28] BCR-ABL fusion genes [29]
NIR	Gold	Prostate cancer cells in mouse [74] Lymph nodes in mouse [76] Brain vessels in mouse [77–79] HER2 cancer biomarker in breast adenocarcinoma cells [80,81]
SERS	Gold	Nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP) in cell extracts [88] Glucose in rat [96] Multiple pathogen DNA in clinical specimens (cerebrospinal fluid, stool, pus, and sputum) [118] Feline calicivirus (FCV) antibody from cell culture media [105] Prostate-specific antigen in human serum [194] Deep-tissue imaging in living mouse [123]
	Silver	HIV-1 DNA in genomic DNA - PCR mediated [112] Glucose in rat [93]
	Gold/silver core/shell	Phospholipase Cγ1 biomarker protein in cancer cells [122]
Fluorescence-based	Gold	Plasmodium falciparum heat shock protein in infected blood cultures [135]
	Silver	miRNA-486 expression levels in lung cancer cells [145] Cell membrane imaging in cell lines [146,147]
Electric/Electrochemical	Gold	Factor V Leiden DNA mutation in genomic DNA – mediated by PCR [173] E. coli O157:H7 in food samples [152]
	Gold	Anti-Toxoplasma gondii immunoglobulins in rabbit blood and serum [154] Human and mouse IgG antibody in human and mouse serum [166] Interleukin-8 (IL-8) cancer biomarker in human serum [177] Interleukin-6 (IL-6) cancer biomarker in calf serum [178] Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in human serum [179] Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 in serum [181] Anti-hepatitis B virus antibodies and human IgG in human serum [182,183] HIV-1 protease and inhibitors in human serum [186] Salmonella spp. in pork samples [187] Human IgG in human serum [188,189] Human and goat IgG in serum [193]
	Silver	α-1-Fetoprotein (AFP) in human serum [184]