Recent conjugation strategies of small organic fluorophores and ligands for cancer-specific bioimaging

• Examination of molecular fluorescent techniques for monitoring various cancers.
• Investigation of various organic/organometallic fluorophores probes, especially NIR probes.
• Reviews of various types of specific ligands for targeting of cancer cells/tissues.
• Reviews of cancer-specific cellular targets in various cancers.

Conjugation between various small fluorophores and specific ligands has become one of the main strategies for bioimaging in disease diagnosis, medicinal chemistry, immunology, and fluorescence-guided surgery, etc. Herein, we present our review of recent studies relating to molecular fluorescent imaging techniques for various cancers in cell-based and animal-based models. Various organic fluorophores, especially near-infrared (NIR) probes, have been employed with specific ligands. Types of ligands used were small molecules, peptides, antibodies, and aptamers; each has specific affinities for cellular receptor proteins, cancer-specific antigens, enzymes, and nucleic acids. This review can aid in the selection of cancer-specific ligands and fluorophores, and may inspire the further development of new conjugation strategies in various cellular and animal models.

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