Synthesis of radiolabelled compounds

Compounds labelled with radioisotopes such as 14C, 3H, 32P, 35S and 125I, are essential tools for research, especially in the life sciences. Methods for the practicable labelling of compounds for use as radiotracers fall into three main categories, namely, chemical synthesis, biochemical methods and isotope exchange reactions. Examples are chosen to illustrate these methods for the labelling of amino acids, peptides, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, neurochemicals, nucleic acids, steroids and miscellaneous compounds of interest in biological research. A review of the synthesis of radio-labelled compounds would not be complete without reference to the special properties of the labelled compounds themselves which affect their useful self-life, self-decomposition, purification and analysis; factors which all need to be clearly understood in order to use radio-labelled compounds with confidence in scientific research. (author)