Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics Research Group

Review Paper

Epitope-imprinted polymers: Design principles of synthetic binding partners for natural biomacromolecules

Abstract

Molecular imprinting (MI) has been explored as an increasingly viable tool for molecular recognition in various fields. However, imprinting of biologically relevant molecules like proteins is severely hampered by several problems. Inspired by natural antibodies, the use of epitopes as imprinting templates has been explored to circumvent those limitations, offering lower costs and greater versatility. Here, we review the latest innovations in this technology, as well as different applications where MI polymers (MIPs) have been used to target biomolecules of interest. We discuss the several steps in MI, from the choice of epitope and functional monomers to the different production methods and possible applications. We also critically explore how MIP performance can be assessed by various parameters. Last, we present perspectives on future breakthroughs and advances, offering insights into how MI techniques can be expanded to new fields such as tissue engineering.

Journal
Science Advances
Volume
7
Issue
44
Pagination
eabi9884
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science
ISSN
2375-2548
URL
https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/sciadv.abi9884
Keywords
biomacromolecules, epitopes, Molecular imprinting, Molecular recognition, Polymers
Rights
Open Access
Peer Reviewed
Yes
Status
published
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