Aptasensors versus immunosensors-Which will prevail?

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Biosensors, invented 70 years ago, are vital for disease diagnosis and environmental monitoring.
• Antibodies are traditional, high-affinity capture probes in biosensors but have limitations (size, stability, cost).
• Aptamers have emerged as promising alternatives with distinct advantages over antibodies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the use of antibodies and aptamers as capture probes in biosensing.
• To compare antibody and aptamer performance in biosensor design and mechanism.
• To explore the complementary nature and combined use of antibodies and aptamers.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of biosensor platforms utilizing antibodies and aptamers.
• Theoretical and experimental comparison of antibody and aptamer characteristics.
• Analysis of hybrid biosensing schemes integrating both probe types.

Main Results:

• Antibodies, while effective, present challenges in size, conjugation, stability, and cost.
• Aptamers offer a viable alternative with potential to overcome antibody-related constraints.
• Antibodies and aptamers are not mutually exclusive but can be complementary in biosensing.

Conclusions:

• Aptamers present a compelling alternative to antibodies in biosensor development.
• Hybrid biosensing strategies combining antibodies and aptamers can leverage the strengths of both.
• Future biosensing platforms may benefit from integrated antibody-aptamer designs for enhanced performance.