We present a survey of the theory of measures of noncompactness and discuss some fixed point theorems of Darbo’s type. We apply the technique of measures of noncompactness to the characterization of classes of compact operators between certain sequence spaces, in solving infinite systems of integral equations in some sequence spaces. We also present some recent results related to the existence of best proximity points (pairs) for some classes of cyclic and noncyclic condensing operators in Banach spaces equipped with a suitable measure of noncompactness. Finally, we discuss the existence of an optimal solution for systems of integro–differentials.