Intense research on biosensors has been performed in a number of different institution over the past 15 years, but relatively few commercial products have resultingly, the blood glucose sensor is a good example of a product which penetrated the market. However recently, the development of electrochemical and optical technologies has accelerated the turnover of the research as is illustrated by a rapid increase in the number of point-of-care diagnostic systems and analytical devices. Examples of such biosensors used in the fields of medical diagnostics, bioprocess control, and environmental monitoring are described, and summarized in an introduction to their characteristics, structures, and functions, given.