光学探针是指与目标物质发生反应(包括配位、包合和基团反应等)并引起光学(吸光、荧光或发光)性质的变化,基于这些变化从而可对目标物质进行分析与测定的一类特殊试剂。光学探针不仅能改善分析的灵敏度,而且能大幅度提高对样品的时空分辨能力,因此,长期以来一直受到人们的关注。试卤灵为一性能优良的荧光体,特别是其7-羟基的取代作用通常会封闭光信号;这一特性近年引起了人们的兴趣,并被广泛用于构建具有低背景光信号的新型探针。本文将综述试卤灵类光学探针的发展及其在蛋白酶、离子、活性氧物种分析方面的应用,包括探针分子的构筑、检测机理以及生物成像等方面的研究。
Spectroscopic probes may be defined as the reagents that can react with analytes, accompanied by the changes of their spectroscopic (chromogenie, or luminescent including chemiluminescent) properties; based on such changes the analytes can thus be determined. Spectroscopic probes have attracted continually growing attention because of their powerful ability to improve analytical sensitivity, and especially to offer greater temporal and spatial resolution for in vivo imaging studies. In recent years, resorufin-based spectroscopic probes have been developed greatly, possibly resulting from its superior properties such as long analytical wavelength, high quantum yield, good water-solubility and non-cytotoxicity. In particular, the spectroscopic signal of resorufin is easily quenched via 7-hydroxy substitution, which provides a convenient platform for preparing a spectroscopic probe with extremely low background signal. So far, this behavior has been widely used to design excellent resorufin-based spectroscopic probes for various analytes, such as enzymes, ions and reactive oxygen species. In the present paper, we will briefly review the progress of resorufin-based spectroscopic probes, including their design strategies, reaction mechanisms and analytical applications.