The anapole state in scattering is a unique optical phenomenon in the field of nanophotonics, which can be analyzed by Mie theory and multipole expansion. For the most common first-order electric anapole, it can be explained by the destructive interference of Cartesian electric dipole and toroidal dipole, with typical far-field scattering suppression and near-field enhancement. In this paper, we describe the basic concept and theory of anapole state firstly, and then summarize the micro-nano structures which support anapole states. Finally in combination with the unique optical properties of anapole states, the potential photonics applications and recent research progress of anapole states in fields such as near-field enhancements, nonlinear optics and lasers are discussed and prospected.