HC–modified sensor chips
XanTec’s HC sensor chips are based on a 2D (HCP) or 3D hydrogel matrix composed of highly flexible, bioinert polycarboxylate chains grafted onto a hydrophilic adhesion promoter on a gold support. Ligands can be covalently attached through their amine, thiol, or aldehyde groups using established coupling chemistries such as EDC/NHS activation, thiol-maleimide coupling, or reductive amination. This versatility enables the immobilization of a wide range of biomolecules including proteins, antibodies, peptides, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and small organic compounds.
The HC sensor chip portfolio spans electrostatic immobilization capacities from a few thousand μRIU (HCP) to ≈ 55,000 μRIU (HC1500M), covering analytes from large viruses to small organic fragments. The HC polycarboxylate matrix is more flexible and less bulky than carboxymethyl-dextran coatings, occupying a smaller fraction of the evanescent field. Its strongly hydrated polymer brush makes the surface highly bioinert and minimizes nonspecific binding. This combination provides high immobilization capacity with excellent diffusion properties, making HC chips a preferred alternative to CMD-based sensor surfaces in biochemical research, assay development, quality control, trace analysis, and drug discovery.
Key features:
- Versatile ligand coupling: Covalent coupling through amine, thiol, or aldehyde groups via standard chemistries (EDC/NHS, maleimide, reductive amination).
- Wide immobilization range: From several thousand to ≈ 55,000 μRIU, suitable for analytes from whole cells and viruses to fragments < 300 Da.
- Bioinert nanoarchitecture: Proprietary hydrophilic adhesion promoter combined with a strongly hydrated polycarboxylate matrix minimizes nonspecific binding.
- Application versatility: Suitable for kinetic, equilibrium, and concentration analyses, as well as diverse screening applications in drug discovery.
- High chemical stability: Withstands typical regeneration conditions, maintaining consistent response levels and kinetic behavior after multiple regeneration cycles.
- No polysaccharide backbone: Lack of carbohydrate motifs prevents unwanted interactions with lectins or carbohydrate-binding proteins, making HC sensor chips ideal for analyzing this class of biomolecules and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) of carbohydrates.
| Product code 2 | HCP | HC30M | HC200M | HC1500M |
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| Base coating | 2D, ultra-short bioinert polycarboxylate (high density) | 3D, 30 nm bioinert polycarboxylate (medium density) | 3D, 200 nm bioinert polycarboxylate (medium density) | 3D, 1500 nm bioinert polycarboxylate (medium density) |
| Immobilization capacity [µRIU] 3 | ≈ 5,000 | ≈ 19,000 | ≈ 33,000 | ≈ 55,000 |
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1 All illustrations are schematic representations and are not drawn to scale; dimensions, densities, and spatial relationships do not reflect actual physical or chemical proportions.
2 This overview represents a selection of the full HC sensor chip portfolio.
3 Preconcentration capacity determined by injecting 100 µg/mL bovine serum albumin (BSA) in 5 mM sodium acetate pH 5.0, with 1 µRIU corresponding approximately to 1 RU. Maximum covalent coupling yields can vary and depend strongly on the properties of the protein to be immobilized. Under optimal conditions, typical coupling efficiencies range from approximately 20–45% of the respective electrostatic preconcentration capacity, with acidic proteins generally exhibiting lower coupling efficiencies.