Advances in Organic Small Molecule-Based Fluorescent Probes for Precision Detection of Liver Diseases: A Perspective on Emerging Trends and Challenges

Liver disease poses a significant challenge to global health, and its early diagnosis is crucial for improving treatment outcomes and patient prognosis. Since fluctuation of key biomarkers during the onset and progression of liver diseases can directly reflect liver health and normal/abnormal function, biomarker-based assays are vital tools for the early detection of liver disease. In this context, small molecule fluorescent probes have undeniably emerged as indispensable tools for diagnosis and analysis, with an ever-growing number of small molecule-based fluorescent probes being developed over recent years, with the sole aim of monitoring relevant biomarkers of liver disease. This perspective will focus on the development and application of probes developed primarily over the last 10 years for diagnosing a range liver disease-related processes. It will outline the foundational design strategies for developing promising probes, their optical response to key biomarkers, and how they have been demonstrated in proof-of-concept imaging applications. Current challenges and new developments in the field will be discussed, with the aim of providing insights and highlighting opportunities in the field.