Abstract

Aptamers are single-stranded molecules of relatively short DNA or RNA (20–60 nucleotides) that bind to a variety of targets with high affinity and specificity. Aptamers are frequently referred to as “synthetic antibodies,” despite the fact that they are simpler to acquire, less costly to manufacture, and more versatile than antibodies in several ways. Since their inception in 1990, Aptamers have been the subject of a steady increase in publications. The focus of this account was on recent original research publications, or those published between April 2019 and the time this account was written in 2020. Relevance-ranking of articles was found by conducting a Google Scholar search of this recent literature. There was no new aptamer selection methods included. Representative examples of each of the nine categories of applications are provided. Last but not least, an outlook is provided that focuses on application performance factors such as “faster, better, and cheaper” as the primary drivers for upcoming innovations in aptamer applications.

Keywords: Aptamers; Targeted delivery; Beacons; Cell imaging; Imaging RNA