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Updated: Mar 30, 2026
A Method for Selecting Structure-switching Aptamers Applied to a Colorimetric Gold Nanoparticle Assay
Published on: February 28, 2015
Aptamers Selected by Cell-SELEX for Molecular Imaging.
Cheng Jin1, Jing Zheng1, Chunmei Li2
1Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and College of Biology, and Collaborative Research Center of Molecular Engineering for Theranostics, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China.
Aptamers offer superior molecular-level cancer detection compared to traditional anatomical imaging. This review highlights aptamer-based molecular imaging for early cancer prediction and diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical imaging
- Molecular diagnostics
- Cancer research
Background:
- Conventional cancer diagnostics primarily use anatomical techniques, which fail to detect molecular changes in normal cells indicative of early-stage cancer.
- Detecting carcinogenesis at the molecular level is crucial for accurate cancer prediction and early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in aptamer-based molecular imaging for cancer diagnostics.
- To highlight the clinical and diagnostic utility of aptamers in monitoring molecular changes during carcinogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing targeting ligands, specifically aptamers, in conjunction with imaging probes.
- Leveraging aptamers' high binding affinity and exceptional recognition ability for molecular targets.
Main Results:
- Aptamers demonstrate high binding affinity to diverse targets, enabling precise molecular recognition.
- Recent studies showcase the significant clinical and diagnostic potential of aptamer-based molecular imaging.
Conclusions:
- Aptamer-based molecular imaging represents a promising approach for early cancer detection by monitoring molecular-level changes.
- The exceptional recognition ability of aptamers positions them as valuable tools in advancing cancer diagnostics and personalized medicine.
