Aptamers and antibodies in optical biosensing

Optical biosensing has emerged as a vital tool for real-time, sensitive detection of biological analytes, with aptamers and antibodies leading as key molecular recognition elements. This review examines and compares their distinct roles, advantages, and limitations in optical biosensing. Antibodies, celebrated for their high specificity and mature production protocols, are often preferred in clinical diagnostics. However, challenges like cross-reactivity, environmental sensitivity, and production costs prompt exploration of alternative biorecognition molecules. Aptamers, nucleic acid–based recognition elements, offer several unique advantages, such as ease of synthesis, chemical stability, and amenability to…