Orchestrated Strategies for Developing Fluorophores for NIR-II Imaging

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Imaging
• Organic Chemistry
• Bioengineering

Background:

• Fluorescence imaging (FLI) is a sensitive, real-time technique for studying molecular and cellular activities.
• The second near-infrared window (NIR-II) enhances FLI with deeper tissue penetration and clarity.
• Organic fluorescent probes are preferred for NIR-II bioimaging due to biocompatibility and clinical potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and summarize diverse strategies for optimizing organic fluorophores for NIR-II fluorescence imaging.
• To highlight emerging bioengineering strategies for developing high-performance NIR-II probes.
• To provide insights into designing NIR-II dyes for clinical translation in disease imaging.

Main Methods:

• Summarization of traditional chemical modification strategies for organic fluorophores.
• Elaboration on emerging bioengineering operations for NIR-II probe optimization.
• Discussion of protein-based strategies (endogenous and exogenous) for dye design.

Main Results:

• Various chemical and bioengineering strategies exist for optimizing NIR-II organic fluorophores.
• Bioengineering approaches, particularly using proteins, present novel methods for dye development.
• These strategies aim to improve probe performance for enhanced disease imaging.

Conclusions:

• Optimizing NIR-II organic fluorophores is crucial for advancing fluorescence imaging.
• Bioengineering strategies offer innovative pathways for designing high-performance NIR-II probes.
• Future development of NIR-II dyes holds significant potential for clinical applications in disease diagnosis.