Electrochemistry of molecular imprinting of large entities

Abstract

Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) is a well-known approach, in which cavities with specific affinity are formed. These functional materials are used mostly for the separation, sensing, and catalysis of small molecules. In the last two decades, the MIP concept has been expanded for the imprinting of large entities such as nanoparticles, viruses, and cells. In this emerging field termed surface imprinted polymers (SIPs), a thin matrix imprints only part of the entity to enable its easy removal and rebinding. In this review, we focus on the different recent imprinting strategies for nanoparticles, viruses, and cells in conjunction with electrochemistry and describe their applications in the fields of biology, analytical chemistry, and medicine.