Molecular imprinting: status artis et quo vadere?

The technique of molecular imprinting allows the formation of specific recognition and catalytic sites in macromolecules via the use of templates. Molecularly imprinted polymers have been applied in an increasing number of applications where molecular binding events are of interest. These include: i) the use of molecularly imprinted polymers as tailor-made separation materials; ii) antibody and receptor binding site mimics in recognition and assay systems; iii) enzyme mimics for catalytic applications; and iv) recognition elements in biosensors. The stability and low cost of molecularly imprinted polymers make them advantageous for use in analysis as well as in industrial scale production and application.