Organic fluorescent probes for detecting mitochondrial membrane potential.

The recent developments of organic fluorescence probes for detecting mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) have been reviewed for the first time. • The significance of designing organic fluorescent probes for the detection of MMP. • The design concept and recognition mechanisms of the fluorescent probes for the detection of MMP. • The advantages and limitations of the fluorescent probes in the application to detect MMP. • The perspectives of the organic fluorescent probes for sensing MMP. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), as a key indicator of mitochondrial function, can reflect the cellular health status. The dysfunction of MMP, even the subtle unusual changes, can greatly affect the intracellular bioactivities, causing various diseases, such as keratitis, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and even cancer. Thus, detecting the variation of MMP has great significance for biological research and medical diagnosis. Due to the advantages of real-time and in-situ monitoring, a variety of organic fluorescent probes have been developed in recent years for the detection of MMP. However, this interesting and frontier topic has not been reviewed so far. In this review, we will focus on several kinds of recent organic fluorescent probes that have provided insights into MMP detection, including design concepts, responding mechanisms and applications of the representative examples. In addition, there are still some shortcomings and limitations of existing fluorescent probes on MMP detection, such as susceptible to interference, unquantifiable detection, and lack of clinical application. This critical review may promote the development of more robust MMP fluorescent probes, providing more powerful tools for researching basic biology to improve cancer diagnoses and treatments in clinics in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]