Abstract

HERNANDEZ, Frank J.  and  BOTERO HINCAPIE, Juliana Andrea. Aptamers: diagnostic and therapeutic agents. Iatreia [online]. 2012, vol.25, n.2, pp.159-168. ISSN 0121-0793.

Aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA molecules that recognize a variety of target molecules with high levels of affinity and specificity, due to their particular three-dimensional structure. They are similar to antibodies regarding the recognition process. However, they offer significant advantages over antibodies based on their size, ease of production and various chemical modifications. Thus, they are excellent candidates for developing new biotechnological platforms. Up to date, several aptamers with therapeutic properties have been successfully evaluated in animal models and clinical trials. Moreover, one of them has already been approved by the FDA. Advances during the last two decades allow to foresee that aptamers will play a key role as diagnostic and therapeutic agents in the near future.

Keywords : Biological Markers; Biomedical Research; Biological Therapy; Clinical Diagnostic; Clinical Medicine; Nucleic Acids; Therepeutical Approaches.

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