Near-Infrared Hemicyanine Fluorophores with Optically Tunable Groups: A ‘Leap Forward’ for in Vivo Sensing and Imaging

Abstract Hemicyanine dyes, with a tunable optical site and high wavelength tailorability, are of significant importance in the fields of sensing and diagnosis. Following the discovery of the near-infrared (NIR) (650–900 nm) fluorescent dyes Changsha (CS) and Huda (HD) by our group, remarkable progress has been made in the development of hemicyanine-based probes for in vivo imaging and detecting. In this review, we summarize the key contributions made by our group in developing long-wavelength (650–1700 nm) hemicyanines and utilizing them to construct functional probes. Finally, potential drawbacks and future prospects of hemicyanine dyes/probes are discussed. 1 Introduction 2 Changsha (CS) Dyes 3 Huda (HD) Dyes 4 Construction of Hemicyanine Fluorophores in the NIR-II Region 5 Summary and Outlook