'International Society for Phytocosmetic Sciences'
Doi
Abstract
Introduction:
Nanoscaled aptamers (Aps), as short single-stranded DNA or RNA
oligonucleotides, are able to bind to their specific targets with high
affinity, upon which they are considered as powerful diagnostic and
analytical sensing tools (the so-called "aptasensors"). Aptamers are
selected from a random pool of oligonucleotides through a procedure
known as "systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment".
Methods:
In this work, the most recent studies in the field of aptasensors are
reviewed and discussed with a main focus on the potential of aptasensors
for the multi-analyte detection(s).
Results:
Due to the specific folding capability of aptamers in the presence of
analyte, aptasensors have substantially successfully been exploited for
the detection of a wide range of small and large molecules (e.g., drugs
and their metabolites, toxins, and associated biomarkers in various
diseases) at very low concentrations in the biological fluids/samples
even in presence of interfering species.
Conclusion:
Biological samples are generally considered as complexes in the real
biological media. Hence, the development of aptasensors with capability
to determine various targets simultaneously within a biological matrix
seems to be our main challenge. To this end, integration of various key
scientific dominions such as bioengineering and systems biology with
biomedical researches are inevitable
