title: Using photo-initiated polymerization reactions to detect molecular recognition.
abstract: Widely used medical diagnostic devices and assays that sense the presence of a particular molecule in a bodily fluid often rely on either a nanoparticle label or an enzymatic reaction to generate a signal that is easily detectable. In many cases, it is desirable if the magnitude of the signal correlates with the concentration of the molecule of interest. Photo-initiated polymerization reactions are an alternative means of generating amplified signals that can be used to quantify biological molecules in complex fluids. In this case, the formation of a polymer, typically a cross-linked hydrogel, signifies the presence of the molecule of interest. This tutorial review explains how photo-initiated polymerization reactions have been used in a conditional manner to detect and quantify molecular recognition events. We weigh the advantages and disadvantages of using photo-initiated reactions in comparison with other approaches and highlight exciting directions and opportunities in this area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, 77 Massachusetts Avenue E19-502C, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaastrup
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, 77 Massachusetts Avenue E19-502C, USA and Program in Polymers and Soft Matter, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. sikes@mit.edu.
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Sikes
mesh_terms: D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D015394:Molecular Structure; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D058105:Polymerization / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate