RECENT TRENDS IN THE EVALUATION OF PHOTOCHEMICAL INSERTION CHARACTERISTICS OF HETEROBIFUNCTIONAL PERFLUOROARYL AZIDE CHELATING-AGENTS - BIOCHEMICAL IMPLICATIONS IN NUCLEAR-MEDICINE

Achieving high efficiency covalent attachment of molecular probes to b iomolecules by photolabeling techniques remains an elusive goal of che mists and biologists, Developments in the understanding of the fundame ntal photochemistry of perfluoroaryl azides suggest a new means of att aching diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclei to proteins and antibodi es through heterobifunctional chelating agents containing a photoactiv e terminus, Such an approach requires establishment of the coordinatio n chemistry of ligating systems, appropriate molecular design of the p hotolabel, analytical method development for critical analysis of phot olabeled products and retention of immunoreactivity of antibodies in t he postlabeling stage, In this review, we summarize recent development s in photolabeling technology and discuss new challenges for applicati on of the technology in the field of nuclear medicine.