Molecular imprinting technology (MIT), often described as a method of making a molecular lock to match a molecular key, is a technique for the creation of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with tailor-made binding sites complementary to the template molecules in shape, size and functional groups. Owing to their unique features of structure predictability, recognition specificity and application universality, MIPs have found a wide range of applications in various fields. Herein, we propose to comprehensively review the recent advances in molecular imprinting including versatile perspectives and applications, concerning novel preparation technologies and strategies of MIT, and highlight the applications of MIPs. The fundamentals of MIPs involving essential elements, preparation procedures and characterization methods are briefly outlined. Smart MIT for MIPs is especially highlighted including ingenious MIT (surface imprinting, nanoimprinting, etc.), special strategies of MIT (dummy imprinting, segment imprinting, etc.) and stimuli-responsive MIT (single/dual/multi-responsive technology). By virtue of smart MIT, new formatted MIPs gain popularity for versatile applications, including sample pretreatment/chromatographic separation (solid phase extraction, monolithic column chromatography, etc.) and chemical/biological sensing (electrochemical sensing, fluorescence sensing, etc.). Finally, we propose the remaining challenges and future perspectives to accelerate the development of MIT, and to utilize it for further developing versatile MIPs with a wide range of applications (650 references).

http://ir.yic.ac.cn/bitstream/133337/17045/1/Molecular%20imprinting%20perspectives%20and%20applications.pdf

Molecular imprinting: perspectives and applications

Molecular imprinting technology (MIT) concerns formation of selective sites in a polymer matrix with the memory of a template. Recently, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have aroused extensive attention and been widely applied in many fields, such as solid-phase extraction, chemical sensors and artificial antibodies owing to their desired selectivity, physical robustness, thermal stability, as well as low cost and easy preparation. With the rapid development of MIT as a research hotspot, it faces a number of challenges, involving biological macromolecule imprinting, heterogeneous binding sites, template leakage, incompatibility with aqueous media, low binding capacity and slow mass transfer, which restricts its applications in various aspects. This critical review briefly reviews the current status of MIT, particular emphasis on significant progresses of novel imprinting methods, some challenges and effective strategies for MIT, and highlighted applications of MIPs. Finally, some significant attempts in further developing MIT are also proposed (236 references).

http://ir.yic.ac.cn/bitstream/133337/4853/1/Recent%20advances%20in%20molecular%20imprinting%20technology%20current%20status%2c%20challenges%20and%20highlighted%20applications.pdf

Recent advances in molecular imprinting technology: current status, challenges and highlighted applications

The zeta potential (ZP) of colloidal systems and nano-medicines, as well as their particle size exert a major effect on the various properties of nano-drug delivery systems. Not only the stability of dosage forms and their release rate are affected but also their circulation in the blood stream and absorption into body membranes are dramatically altered by ZP. In this paper the effect of ZP on the various properties of nano-medicines are reviewed. Furthermore, the ability of employing zeta potential to target drug delivery systems to, and drug release at specific sites of the body are discussed.

/pdf/effect-of-zeta-potential-on-the-properties-of-nano-drug-405o0h1ibp.pdf

Effect of Zeta Potential on the Properties of Nano-Drug Delivery Systems - A Review (Part 2)

Microneedles for drug and vaccine delivery.

Molecular imprinting science and technology: a survey of the literature for the years up to and including 2003

Molecular imprinting is a generic technology that allows for the introduction of sites of specific molecular affinity into otherwise homogeneous polymeric matrices. Commonly this technique has been shown to be effective when targeting small molecules of molecular weight <1500, while extending the technique to larger molecules such as proteins has proven difficult. A number of key inherent problems in protein imprinting have been identified, including permanent entrapment, poor mass transfer, denaturation, and heterogeneity in binding pocket affinity, which have been addressed using a variety of approaches. This review focuses on protein imprinting in its various forms, ranging from conventional bulk techniques to novel thin film and monolayer surface imprinting approaches.

/pdf/from-3d-to-2d-a-review-of-the-molecular-imprinting-of-1ykjk3pm04.pdf

From 3D to 2D: a review of the molecular imprinting of proteins.

https://purehost.bath.ac.uk/ws/files/142754094/Published_version.pdf

Aptamer-MIP hybrid receptor for highly sensitive electrochemical detection of prostate specific antigen

Pharmaceutical applications for molecularly imprinted polymers

Summary

Background The skin represents an accessible somatic tissue for therapeutic gene transfer. The superficial lipophilic layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, however, constitutes a major obstacle to the cutaneous delivery of charged macromolecules such as DNA.



Objectives  To determine whether silicon-based microneedles, microfabricated via a novel isotropic etching/BOSCH reaction process, could generate microchannels in the skin of sufficient dimensions to facilitate access of lipid : polycation : pDNA (LPD) nonviral gene therapy vectors.



Methods  Scanning electron microscopy was used to visualize the microconduits created in heat-separated human epidermal sheets after application of the microneedles. Following confirmation of particle size and particle surface charge by photon correlation spectrocopy and microelectrophoresis, respectively, the diffusion of fluorescent polystyrene nanospheres and LPD complexes through heat-separated human epidermal sheets was determined in vitro using a Franz-type diffusion cell. In-vitro cell culture with quantification by flow cytometry was used to determine gene expression in human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells).



Results  The diffusion of 100 nm diameter fluorescent polystyrene nanospheres, used as a readily quantifiable predictive model for LPD complexes, through epidermal sheets was significantly enhanced following membrane treatment with microneedles. The delivery of LPD complexes either into or through the membrane microchannels was also demonstrated. In both cases considerable interaction between the particles and the epidermal sheet was observed. In-vitro cell culture was used to confirm that LPD complexes mediated efficient reporter gene expression in human keratinocytes in culture when formulated at the appropriate surface charge.



Conclusions  These studies demonstrate the utility of silicon microneedles in cutaneous gene delivery. Further studies are required to elucidate fully the influence of the physicochemical characteristics of gene therapy vectors, e.g. particle diameter and surface charge, on their diffusion through microchannels and to quantify gene expression in vivo.

Christopher John Allender

Papers

From 3D to 2D: a review of the molecular imprinting of proteins.

Aptamer-MIP hybrid receptor for highly sensitive electrochemical detection of prostate specific antigen

Pharmaceutical applications for molecularly imprinted polymers

Microfabricated silicon microneedles for nonviral cutaneous gene delivery

Current status of molecularly imprinted polymers as alternatives to antibodies in sorbent assays