Forthcoming Challenges and Concluding Remarks

In this review we described the most commonly used label-free aptasensor strategies. Although aptamers are one of the most promising systems for applications in biosensors, their potential applications using complex matrices as real samples remain the major challenges for point-of-care applications therefore, complementary strategies involving nanomaterials are a subject of intense study. 

We are presently in the early days of the emerging technology of using aptamers and nanomaterials to modify biosensors. So far, thrombin-binding aptamer has been the topic of numerous reports, but although many improvements are required in reproducibility and sensitivity, there is no doubt that a growing number of aptamers and, it is to be hoped, nanomaterial-based label-free aptasensors will soon be used for the diagnosis and therapeutic follow-up of diseases. 

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