Fluorescent nanomaterials for the detection of chronic kidney disease

The preliminary identification of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is crucial because of its high-risk factors for complications. Currently, diverse forms of chronic kidney disease biomarkers (CKDBs) (e.g., serum creatinine [CR], kidney injury molecule-1, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, and cystatin C) are available for the medical assessment of kidney diseases. The fluorescent (FL) nanomaterials (NMs) possess numerous unparallel attributes such as high sensitivity, accuracy, scalability, and facile recognition of target CKDBs. A combination of FL NMs with the aforementioned CKDBs can greatly enhance their sensing potential in various respects. This review delineates recent developments in FL NMs-based sensors for CKDBs along with their performance evaluation based on the fundamental validation metrics (e.g., limit of detection, linear dynamic range, Stern-Volmer quenching coefficient, and figure of merit tools). Future challenges in FL NMs for sensing CKDBs such as point-of-care detection have also been presented.