Biomolecule-responsive nanoprobes for living cell analysis

Modern biomedical research has gone deep into the molecular level of cells, trying to reveal the molecular changes of cell function under physiological and pathological conditions. Fluorescent nanoprobes have become a powerful tool for analyzing biomolecules and biological reactions in living cells because of their high stability, enhanced brightness, non-invasive, controllable operation, and easy internalization. In this review, we focus on the design, fabrication and use of fluorescent nanoprobes to detect biomolecules in living cells. We briefly describe the main elements of nanoprobes, such as nanocarriers, recognition elements, and signal transduction strategies. In addition, we also introduce the representative biomolecule-responsive nanoprobes and analyze their advantages and disadvantages in practical applications. It is hoped that this review will stimulate discussion on the construction of next-generation nanoprobes for intelligent and precise detection in living cells, as well as the opportunities and challenges of translating these tools into clinical use.