Protein-size molecularly imprinted polymer nanogels as synthetic antibodies, by localized polymerization with multi-initiators.

A new approach is proposed for the synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) (synthetic antibodies) as soluble nanogels with sizes close to the size of real antibodies. To imprint a molecular memory in particles consisting of only a few polymer chains, an initiator carrying multiple iniferter moieties is used. This allows for the simultaneous initiation of several polymer chains, and yields molecularly imprinted nanogels (17 nm, molecular weight (MW) = 97 kDa) with good affinity and selectivity for the target.