Recent Advances in Design Strategies and Imaging Applications of Fluorescent Probes for ATP

Adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) is the energy currency in cells. It is involved in numerous cellular life activities and exhibits a close association with the development of certain diseases. Thus, the precise detection of ATP within cells holds immense significance in understanding cell biological events and related disease development. Fluorescent probes have obvious advantages in imaging ATP in cells and in vivo due to their high sensitivity, good selectivity, real-time imaging, and good biocompatibility. Thus far, an extensive array of fluorescent probes targeting ATP has been formulated to enable the visualization of ATP within cells and in vivo. This review summarizes the recent advances in ATP fluorescent probes according to different design strategies, mainly including those based on organic small molecules, metal complexes, and water-soluble conjugated polymers. In addition, the practical applications of ATP fluorescent probes in the imaging of target organelles, cell biological events, and disease markers are highlighted. Finally, the challenges and future trends of ATP detection based on fluorescent probes are discussed.