Recent Progress in Fluorescent Probes for the Detection and Research of Hydrogen Sulfide in Cells

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a gaseous signaling molecule that plays an important role in regulating various physiological activities in biological systems. As the fundamental structural and functional unit of organisms, cells are closely related to the homeostasis of their internal environment. The levels of H2S in different organelles maintain a certain balance, and any disruption of this balance will lead to various functional abnormalities that affect the health of organisms. Fluorescent imaging technology provides unique merits, such as simplicity, non-invasiveness, and real-time monitoring, and has become a powerful approach for the detection of molecules in biological systems. Based on the special physicochemical properties of H2S, numerous H2S-specific fluorogenic probes have been designed with different recognition mechanisms that enable rapid and accurate detection of H2S in cells. Therefore, this review briefly illustrates the design strategies, response principles, and biological applications of H2S-specific fluorescent probes and aims to provide relevant researchers with insight for future research.