Selenium: From fluorescent probes to biomedical application

Selenium (Se) is of fundamental importance to human health as an essential trace element, mainly through regulation of selenoproteins (SePs). Therefore, monitoring Se transformation in living systems and revealing cellular functions of SePs are of great significance for diverse disease treatment. However, the lack of probing tools for in situ monitoring of Se species severely hinders its development in bio-analysis. Thus, the discovery of fluorescent probes with specific recognition and responses to SePs/Se-containing species are promising for investigating the biological actions of Se. Herein, we summarized the chemical properties of various active Se species and discussed the rational design of basic structures of fluorescent probes for Se species and their biomedical applications. We also highlighted the key findings on fluorescent probes for Se species inside living systems, and proposed a network for rational design and biomedical applications of fluorescent probes for biological Se-containing substances.