Advancements in magnetic aptasensors: Recent progress and future trends in biosensor technology

Biosensors have been explored for their application in analytical assays with an increasing reliance on nanomaterials and biomolecule recognition units. Recently, magnetic nanoparticle-aptamer (MNPA) hybrids found crucial for their strengths in target binding, low limit of detection (LOD), enhanced sensitivity, exceptional stability, and superior selectivity. They have been employed for the identification of a diverse range of analytes in biological, food, and environmental samples. However, their integration with conventional sensing technologies remains a challenge. Herein, the current state-of-the-art of MNPA sensors are reviewed. First, the significance of using MNP and aptamers in biosensors is discussed and then the technologies incorporating MNPAs to achieve higher sensitivity and selectivity in quantifying analytical samples are introduced. Finally, prospects and practical approaches to address the existing drawbacks of MNPA sensors are presented.