Recent applications and research of fluorescent probes in liver diseases: A comprehensive review

Liver disease is a significant global health burden, affecting millions of people worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, it accounts for ∼ 2 million deaths annually, making it one of the leading causes of global mortality. Early detection and accurate diagnosis of liver diseases, including ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), viral hepatitis, fatty liver disease, and liver fibrosis, are crucial to ensure effective treatment. Fluorescent probes have shown great potential in overcoming the limitations of conventional diagnostic methods by enabling real-time visualization and analysis of cellular and molecular events with high sensitivity and specificity. Although significant progress has been made in fluorescent probes for liver diseases, there is no comprehensive review published on this topic. This article presents a comprehensive review, examining the latest advancements in the development and application of fluorescent probes for liver disease detection and monitoring. It highlights innovative design strategies and probe types that improve targeting capabilities, photostability, and biocompatibility. Furthermore, this review discusses recent progress in detecting liver-specific biomolecules and processes, such as reactive oxygen species, enzyme activity, microenvironment, metal ions, apoptosis, etc., across various liver diseases, with particular emphasis on IRI and HCC. The challenges and limitations of using fluorescent probes for liver disease detection are addressed, and insights into future perspectives for the field are provided. This review serves as a valuable resource for understanding the current state and potential of fluorescent probes in the diagnosis and monitoring of liver diseases, with the ultimate goal of benefiting patients suffering from these debilitating conditions.