Versatile Fluorescent Probes for Imaging the Superoxide Anion in Living Cells and In Vivo.

The superoxide anion (O ) is widely engaged in the regulation of cell functions and is thereby intimately associated with the onset and progression of many diseases. To ascertain the pathological roles of O in related diseases, developing effective methods for monitoring O in biological systems is essential. Fluorescence imaging is a powerful tool for monitoring bioactive molecules in cells and in vivo owing to its high sensitivity and high temporal-spatial resolution. Therefore, increasing numbers of fluorescent imaging probes have been constructed to monitor O inside live cells and small animals. In this minireview, we summarize the methods for design and application of O -responsive fluorescent probes. Moreover, we present the challenges for detecting O and suggestions for constructing new fluorescent probes that can indicate the production sites and concentration changes in O as well as O -associated active molecules in living cells and in vivo.