Aptamer-based molecular imaging

Molecular imaging has greatly advanced basic biology and translational medicine through visualization and quantification of single/multiple molecular events temporally and spatially in a cellular context and in living organisms. Aptamers, short single-stranded nucleic acids selected in vitro to bind a broad range of target molecules avidly and specifically, are ideal molecular recognition elements for probe development in molecular imaging. This review summarizes the current state of aptamer-based biosensor development (probe design and imaging modalities) and their application in imaging small molecules, nucleic acids and proteins mostly in a cellular context with some animal studies. The article is concluded with a brief discussion on the perspective of aptamer-based molecular imaging.