Imprinted polymers—Tailor-made mimics of antibodies and receptors

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The technique of molecular imprinting allows the formation of specific recognition sites in synthetic polymers through the use of templates or imprint molecules. These recognition sites mimic the binding sites of antibodies and other biological receptor molecules. Molecularly imprinted polymers can therefore be used in applications relying on specific molecular binding events. The stability, ease of preparation and low cost of these materials make them particularly attractive. This review focuses on recent developments and advances in the field of molecularly imprinted materials, with special emphasis on applications in immunoassays and sensors recently developed by our group and by others.