Design and Applications of Small Molecular Probes for Calcium Detection

The physiological significance of calcium ions such as the role in cellular signalling, cell growth, etc. have driven the development of methods to detect and monitor the level of Ca2+ ions, both in vivo and in vitro. Although various approaches for the detection of calcium ions have been reported, methods based on small molecular fluorescent probes have unique advantages including small probe size, easy monitoring of detection processes and applicability in biological systems. In this review article, we will discuss the progress in the development of Ca2+-binding fluorescent probes by taking into account the types of chelating groups that have been employed for Ca2+ binding.