  Graphene field effect transistors (G-FETs) have appeared as suitable
candidates for sensing charges and have thus attracted large interest for ion
and chemical detections. In particular, their high sensitivity, chemical
robustness, transparency and bendability offer a unique combination for
interfacing living and soft matters. Here we have demonstrated their ability to
sense targeted biomolecules, by combining them with ion channels-coupled
receptors (ICCRs). These receptors have been naturally or artificially
expressed within living cell membranes to generate ion fluxes in presence of
chemicals of interest. Here, we have successfully combined those biosensors
with G-FET array which converts the bio-activation of the ICCRs into readable
electronic signals. This hybrid bioelectronic device leverages the advantages
of the biological receptor and the graphene field effect transistor enabling
the selective detection of biomolecules, which is a current shortcoming of
electronic sensors. Additionally, the G-FET allows to discriminate the polarity
of the ion fluxes which otherwise remains hidden from conventional
electrophysiological recordings. The multisite recording ability offered by the
G-FET array rises numerous possibilities for multiscale sensing and high
throughput screening of cellular solutions or analytes, which is of both
fundamental and applied interests in health and environment monitoring.
