Sensitive and effective imaging of carbon monoxide in living systems with a near-infrared fluorescent probe.

CO, a gas molecule that is harmful to living organisms, has a high affinity with hemoglobin, which will cause severe hypoxia. However, in recent years, researchers have discovered that endogenous CO, similar to NO, is one of the messenger molecules, which has a certain regulatory effect in many physiological and pathological processes in the respiratory system, cardiovascular system, and nervous system. Therefore, it is urgent to explore an effective method to monitor the role of CO under physiological and pathological conditions.