Recent Progress in CO Detection Probes Based on Different Fluorophores

Carbon monoxide (CO), a simple and well-known toxic gas, is a naturally occurring gaseous transmitter that plays a crucial role in the regulation of physiological and pathological processes in living organisms. Usually, the development of various diseases can lead to the dysregulation of CO levels. Interestingly, CO has been shown to exert therapeutic effects in inflammation-related disease models. Fluorescent probes for CO detection have become a vital research field in the past decades owing to their advantages of excellent selectivity, exceptional sensitivity, and real-time in situ detection, which have been employed for the precise detection of CO in cells, tissues, and even living organisms. This paper reviews research advancements in CO fluorescent probes over the last decade, outlines the design concepts and detection mechanisms of relevant fluorescent probes, and provides design guidelines and future development prospects.