Lectins – valuable bioligands towards sustainable clinical sensing?

The intensive exploitation of planet resources, driven by the rapid population growth and overconsumption, is threatening environmental and human sustainability, and a change of behaviour is urgently needed. The United Nations have defined 17 sustainable development goals that reflect this necessity and which intend to alert humanity about the importance of intervening in the diverse domains of human activity, including healthcare. Sensors and biosensors show advantageous attributes and great potential towards more sustainable healthcare practices, although some requirements must be assured, including the sustainability of all elements composing the device. In the case of affinity biosensors, the sustainability of the bioligand has a significant impact in the sustainability of the whole device. Lectins are used as bioligands in affinity biosensors for clinical applications that encompass the detection of particular glycostructures. This review aims to carefully analyse lectins' characteristics in order to deduce their sustainability profile for the development of sustainable devices for clinical sensing. A comparison with antibodies, as another type of natural bioligands frequently used for the same analytical applications is also presented.