Recent advances of fluorescent probes for fatty liver imaging by lipid droplets detecting

Abstract

Fatty liver, a major health problem worldwide, is closely associated with aberrant accumulation and alteration of energy the storage organelles, lipid droplets (LDs), in the disease process. Fluorescence probes with excellent optical performance, high sensitivity/selectivity and real-time monitoring have emerged as an attractive method for the detection of LDs used in the diagnosis of fatty liver. In this review, we summarize various probes based on different response mechanisms to image LDs in the fatty liver process under different excitation imaging modes and emission wavelengths, including visible to the near-infrared, two/three-photon, and the second near-infrared region. The perspectives and barriers associated with the reported LD probes for future development are also discussed.